


Rainfall

by MoonlitNightin



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Action/Adventure, Cissnei's real name is important, Cloti is a background ship taking its time to reach harbor, Creepy Hojo (Compilation FFVII), Drama, Everyone likes to banter, Everything wrong is Hojo's fault, F/M, Friendship, Pre-FFVII Cloud is adorable, Pre-Nibelheim Incident, Romance, Time Travel, Unethical Experimentation, Zerith is strong with this one, more like an alternate timeline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-09-26 10:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 60,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20388535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlitNightin/pseuds/MoonlitNightin
Summary: A message from the future inspires Aerith to make little changes with drastic ramifications. She will play all the right angles and make the hard decisions so a life will be spared.But the rain is going to pour anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

Aerith was tending to the flowers in the church when the Planet told her Zack Fair was going to die.

Her nimble fingers seized up within the moist soil while the Planet's message reverberated in the pit of her soul. The flower she had been tending to was suddenly a tangled mass of roots and petals as her hands gouged the earth. Her vision darkened at the edges, but then she remembered breathing was important and inhaled a shuddering breath.

Clinging to the fringes of her crumbling emotional stability, she asked for clarification.

No response. 

She called louder, but the Planet had turned its attention away from her much like a human avoiding eye contact.

Eyes misty, Aerith persisted. What do you mean he'll die? How will it happen? When will it? Where?

The Planet held its silence. Then Aerith was screaming at it because why him? Zack was her sanctuary much like she suspected she was his. With eyes the loveliest shade of blue, open and boundless as the sky, Aerith got a little taste of freedom every time she gazed into them.

The Turks were always watching her. She noticed them on her strolls through Wall Market, as she cared for the flowers outside her house, and even caught them lingering at the park. Any day now Shinra would order them to do more than watch and the small scrap of freedom she had would be lost for good. So why was her reprieve from walls and locked doors and the plate smothering her above being taken away from her?

And Zack, _her_ Zack, a beacon of life and warmth. Death would turn him so still and cold, into just another _thing_ for the Planet to swallow up.

She would never see him again. Aerith would never peer into those bright blue eyes or glimpse his golden smile again, and she would wilt a little more every day he was gone until the Planet took her too.

A sob bubbled in the back of her throat just as the Planet glanced back.

_It doesn't have to be_ _**him**._

She gasped, but before she could question the cryptic message the Planet quieted. Once more she could only hear its usual indecipherable murmuring.

Now Aerith didn't know what to do. These omens had shaken her, ruptured her heart and left her bleeding. Her thoughts spiraled round and round for minutes turned hours. The dirt crusted over her fingertips and her dress wrinkled as she stayed kneeling beside the flower bed. She may have remained paralyzed all night if the church doors hadn't suddenly opened.

Familiar raven hair poked through the doorway and Aerith was already standing on numb legs and forcing them into a run. Halfway down the aisle she lost the battle against unsteady feet, but of course Zack's arms wrapped around her before she could so much as stumble.

Face flush against his chest, Zack's heartbeat whispered in her ear as he said, "Wow, Aerith. I know you fell for me and all, but don't you think you're taking the phrase too literally?"

A startled giggle erupted out her throat. The corny line was just so Zack, and after the Planet's ominous message she had been so sure she would never see him again. Yet here his heart drummed against her ear and she basked in his radiance. He was real and solid and wonderfully alive. How she longed to stay in his arms forever, stay together forever because Zack would remain safe as long as they were never apart.

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but something deep inside told Aerith that their separation could only lead to death, maybe _their_ deaths. Regardless, Aerith had made a decision.

She pulled back within the circle of his arms. Zack made a disappointed sound, but then she tossed her arms around his neck and used the leverage to pull herself up on her tippy-toes.

Their faces only inches apart, Aerith grinned. "What can I say?" Her smile sharpened before she pecked the edge of Zack's mouth, causing the SOLDIER's eyes to widen. "It really is a pretty face." Her smile was downright wolfish as she released him and spun out of his loose hold. Then she clasped her hands behind her and inclined her head towards the hole in the roof.

Zack froze with his hand hovering over the spot she had kissed him when it struck him that Aerith was referencing their first date. Embolden by the memory, he smirked and hurried up to Aerith's side.

"So," he drawled out. "My eyes, my face, what else do I have that's pretty?" He felt silly saying "pretty" since it was an adjective seldom used to describe him.

He must have sounded as ridiculous as he felt too because a couple of giggles rippled out of Aerith as she obliged his tease, pretending to look him over.

"Hmm," she tapped a finger against her cheek, but then the ring of his PHS sliced through the spell of levity. Aerith's lips dipped into a frown while he sighed and flipped open the device. As expected, he was being called back to Shinra HQ for a mission briefing. He looked up from the screen to give Aerith the bad news, but his mouth snapped close at the sight of raw despair in her eyes. She always got upset when their dates were interrupted, but never had she looked so broken up over his being called away.

Aerith noticed his attention on her and tried tucking her emotions behind a playful pout, but her jaw was clenched far too tight and her eyes were shimmering. "You have to go?" She already knew the answer, the slight tremble in her voice confirmed this.

"Yeah," he heaved a heavy sigh, wondering if he should address Aerith's emotional outburst and quickly deciding he didn't want to end their time together with a serious discussion.

"Don't worry," he slapped a smile on his face. "I should be back by tomorrow and I'll visit you then." He leaned down to embrace her, but was stunned when her silk lips pressed against his for a deep yet fleeting kiss.

She laughed at his shocked expression because while this wasn't their first kiss, Zack normally had to work to get one out of her let alone _two_ in one day. Though he never got to question the sudden display of affection since the kiss left him breathless and once he'd recovered his flower girl had already returned to her garden.

Recognizing the dismissal for what it was, Zack left the slums wondering what was up with Aerith today. Her emotions had been skimming closer to the surface than was usual and the cause of this change eluded him. Maybe he did something or perhaps it had nothing to do with him. Either way, should he be concerned?

Zack arrived at Shinra Headquarters still wondering what to make of Aerith's behavior. It never occurred to him that Aerith Gainsborough had decided to save Zack Fair's life, and to do so, she would make sure every time Zack walked out those church doors he would leave wanting nothing more than to see her again.

* * *

Zack stopped so quick he nearly fell over. Holding fast to the church doorframe, he stared dumbfounded at the girl crouched by the flower bed. She was wearing a shell pink, cami dress held up by spaghetti straps and flowing down just past her knees. Floral embroidery lined its top and bottom trim so the dress seemed to begin and end in a garden of lilies.

For a second Zack worried he was admiring the wrong girl because her dress was pink and _only __pink_, and such a contrast to the white Aerith's been wearing since the day they met.

"I was wondering if you could build the flower wagon today." Aerith rose, her dress fluttering as she turned, and his mouth ran dry. Every sway of her dress was like an invitation to dance and he was eager to be her dance partner.

He walked up to her and took the initiative to kiss her cheek. After four visits filled with an unprecedented amount of kisses from his favorite flower girl, Zack had quietly accepted they reached a new comfort level in their relationship. Now they greeted one another with a chaste peck and ended each visit with a quick smooch. Although he swore those goodbye kisses got longer and deeper every time. Not that he minded.

"What are you smiling about?" Aerith placed her hand on her hip and pretended to scrutinize him, which was funny since he was the one eyeballing her and that dress.

"Well, I can't help but notice someone is wearing pink." Zack raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Especially since I recall a pretty lady saying I was being silly for asking her to wear more pink." His smugness was poorly concealed and Aerith hummed in feigned innocence.

"That's not what I remember." Aerith walked up the aisle and trailed her fingers over a pew as she strolled past it. "I remember this pretty lady," she smiled to herself because Zack thought her pretty, "saying it was silly to promise to wear pink every time she and this handsome gentleman would meet up." She stopped and side-eyed him. "Because how would she know when to wear pink if she never knew when the gentleman was going to visit her?"

Zack faltered, uncertain if this was Aerith's subtle way of telling him to visit her more regularly, but then her shoulders shook from silent laughter and he knew she had freaked him out on purpose.

He mock-scowled at her before regaining his smug countenance. "In that case, maybe the pretty lady should wear pink every day just in case he stops by." He walked up to her and curled his arm around her waist so the cotton soft texture of her dress rubbed against the worn leather of his gloves. Gritty and dainty shouldn't have worked like this. A flower girl afraid of the sky and a SOLDIER with sky blue eyes shouldn't have fit so perfectly, but he didn't care. Normal was overrated anyway.

"Okay, I promise to wear pink every day _if _you promise to show me the sky." Aerith tried to keep the fear out her voice, carefully bundling it in a layer of good humor, yet Zack tensed. Soon his arm dropped off her and she knew she had failed.

"You serious, Aerith?" His voice was low and gentle as he moved in front of her and carefully took her hands in his. Earnestly his eyes sought hers while she did everything she could to appear at ease.

The sky did terrify her, partly because it was the opposite of everything she had ever known. The plate above was like the ground below. Solid, safe, and static by nature.

The sky was different. Air was intangible, and the sky could be calm one second and storm the next.

Every time she looked up at the sky she imagined a gust of wind suddenly sweeping her off her feet and carting her up to the heavens above. However, Aerith couldn't afford to fear the sky, not anything, if she was going to save Zack.

She squeezed his palms and asked, "Weren't you the one who offered to show me a beautiful sky someday? I bet the sky has been beautiful plenty of times since we met, so why haven't you taken me above plate already?" She huffed despite how it was too soon. She wasn't ready to see the enormity that was the sky, was terrified by the mere idea, but it couldn't wait. She needed to be brave.

Zack didn't look convinced. "Yeah, but doesn't it scare you?"

Aerith looked to the hole in the roof, risking a peek at the sky. "Yes, but you'll be there with me, right?" She turned to him and prayed he would agree because she couldn't do it alone, not yet. The sky scared her more than anything and it would be so easy to let him talk her out of it.

"Of course!" Zack let go one of her hands to point his thumb at his chest. "When you go above, I'll go with you. There's no need to be scared."

Aerith gazed into his sky blue eyes and her worries soared away. Surely anything as pretty as them couldn't be that bad. Besides, Zack would be there. He would keep her grounded. The sky couldn't take her, not with him around.

"It's a promise then."

It wasn't a question yet Zack nodded. "I promise." He smiled so wide she wondered if it hurt as he swore to be on the lookout for the most beautiful sky from this day on. He even asked which type of sky she wanted to see first. Day, night, or the twilight between.

Laughing, she told him to surprise her.

Soon after, he left, but the warmth of his hands lingered on hers as she prepared to leave the church.

_Zack's death begins in Nibelheim._

Aerith stiffened, not expecting to hear from the Planet so soon again. She didn't try calling to it, though, as it was unlikely she would receive a reply if she did. Instead her eyes screwed shut and she grasped the sides of her dress, bunching the cloth in her fists. Slowly she exhaled, released her stress into the world and regained her inner peace.

The Planet was helping her at its own pace, which was fine. Aerith was a patient girl. After all, it took time to raise flowers in Midgar's dry and dead earth. It took time to accept that Turks would always spy on her, that her freedom was an illusion.

The ticks of a clock were of no concern as long as there was time enough to save him.

* * *

Aerith started hiding a journal under her pillow. She titled the first page _Messages_ and wrote out below all the Planet had told her so far. It was short work to write out the three messages, but it felt good to have them laid out on paper. The Planet was usually a steady stream of murmurs in the back of her head, something she could and had dismissed as imaginary.

But now Zack's life was in danger. As much as she didn't want to accept what it meant for her to hear and understand the Planet, specifically what this implied she _was_, Aerith would do what she had to in order to save him.

Already wearing her pink dress, she sat on the edge of her bed during the early hours of morning with the notebook open on her lap. Her eyes glossed over the page, pausing on the second message before she deemed it too cryptic to tackle, and coming to rest on _Nibelheim_. It sounded like a location, a backwater one at that, which would explain why she never heard of it. Midgar had been her home for as long as she could remember, and it was an unspoken rule between her and Shinra that she was not to leave it. Therefore, her knowledge of far off places was limited to what appeared in the media and what others told her.

Mostly her mental world map was founded on the stories Zack had told her, so maybe he knew of Nibelheim. He did travel often on Shinra's behalf and she recalled Zack mentioning he was from a small country town. Was Nibelheim his hometown?

She shook her head. No, Zack also said he hadn't been home in ages so it was unlikely he would go back in the near future. This didn't coincide with the urgency underlying the Planet's messages. It was obvious something dreadful was hurtling towards them, and if she didn't stop it soon, her Zack would die.

For that reason, Aerith took the long way to the church in the hopes of spotting a familiar face. When no trace of Tseng was to be found around the Market and she only noticed a bald and red-headed Turk following her, she circled back. Over and over, she must have looped around the sector for hours before she finally spotted slick, black hair peeking out behind the slide at the park.

On throbbing ankles, which had her thinking about replacing her wedges with a more comfortable pair of footwear in the near future, she made her way to Tseng. He didn't acknowledge her until she stood directly in front of him and even then he avoided facing her head on.

Aerith giggled over the pretense. Tseng must have thought he was pretty good at concealing his emotions, but she could tell from the rigidness in his shoulders and crossed arms that he was uncomfortable. Likely this was because he had figured out she'd been looking for him. A break from her usual routine did warrant a healthy dose of suspicion since she was normally a complacent target and happy to ignore her Turk stalkers. Aerith always had treasured her illusion of freedom, but for Zack's sake she would face any reality.

"Hello, Tseng. How are you today?"

Near indiscernibly, the Turk's eyes scanned over her person. "I'm fine." Seeing no injuries or signs of illness, his lips quirked up minutely. "And you?"

"I've been having a great day, but I've got this tiny problem." She raised her hand and pulled her pointer finger and thumb an inch apart.

Amusement crept into Tseng's stoic expression and she sweetened her smile while clasping her hands over her chest. "I found this pretty dress in the store, but I can't tell if it looks good on me. Of course the shop owner says it does, but shop owners will say anything to get you to buy. What I need is someone who can give me an unbiased opinion, someone who doesn't know me and will tell me the truth without sparing my feelings." She pouted, imitating a kicked-puppy look that rivaled Zack's finest.

"Is that so?" Tseng's face was carefully neutral, though his tone implied he was invested in her dilemma. "Do you have someone in mind?"

Aerith cocked her head and tapped a finger against her cheek. "Well, I need someone from this place called Nibelheim. The shop owner told me that's where the dress' fur collar is from and I want to make sure it's authentic. I wonder, could you help me find a nice stranger from Nibelheim?"

"How do you expect me to help?"

"I don't know." Aerith held her hands back and shrugged. "It's just you know so many people, I figure you could find someone from Nibelheim faster than I could." She pouted again. "I really want this dress, but I can't wear it unless I know it's authentic and I need a stranger to tell me if it looks good on me. So you'll help me, won't you?"

"I don't-"

"I'd only borrow them for a day." She peppered her voice with desperation while hope glimmered in her emerald eyes.

Tseng's face gradually softened, and the web of fear entangling her heart was brushed aside as he said, "I'll see what I can arrange."

"Thank you!" Aerith cheered. Nibelheim was unreachable, however, a native was sure to give her reliable information. It was a bit of a long shot, but if she could learn of the threats awaiting Zack in Nibelheim and determine which one would lead to his death, she could figure out how to save him.

Tseng bid her goodbye and a touch of guilt dampened her joy as she watched him go. She had used him, but it wasn't as if she lied. There was a rather lovely dress hanging in a Market shop window, which caught her eye during her rounds around the sector. Although she doubted its fur collar was imported from a small town like Nibelheim.

Consoled somewhat, the guilt faded as she carried on to the church only to see Zack waiting for her on the front steps. He beamed when he noticed her approach and his smile dazzled Aerith in a way nothing else could. As they embraced his warmth seeped into her skin and she tried to picture herself going without this feeling for months or even years.

The image came easily, as it had once been her reality. She went sixteen years without knowing Zack, yet now that he was in her life she could not imagine a day where he was gone for good. Compared to such a nightmare, even the sky didn't seem so menacing.

* * *

Cloud was having trouble sleeping, or more accurately, he was having trouble getting up. For the past week he awakened clammy to the touch and dizzy beyond belief. He would have blamed nightmares, except he never remembered anything frightening happening in his dreams. The only thing he did remember was a voice. It was impossible to assign it a gender, though it did have a feminine ring to it, or identify the speaker's age. All Cloud knew was that he had dreamt about this voice every night for seven days straight.

Most of what it said was hard to make out, as if it was speaking through a bad transceiver. Fortunately the dream repeated itself so many times Cloud eventually caught a few snippets of dialogue. _Fair_ and _die_ were the first set, the next was _be __**him**_ and the final was _in Nibel_. Cloud garnered the last bit referred to the Mt. Nibel of his hometown and maybe that was where his strange dreams were set. He also guessed from the _**him**_ that his dreams involved a guy, probably Cloud himself. _Fair _and _die_, however, were meaningless as they lacked context.

Still he didn't understand why these dreams caused him to wake up so dizzy he couldn't even sit up properly. Going to a doctor might clear things up, but he had little time to spare in between missions and it wasn't like the dizzy spells were debilitating. They only lasted a couple of minutes, and while they were worrisome, he didn't want to go to the doctor in a panic just to be told they were something minor like a symptom of fatigue.

"Cloud!"

He stopped in the middle of the Shinra Building lobby and looked up in time to glimpse raven hair before an arm was slung over his shoulders.

"Zack?" He was surprised the First had recognized him when he was in full uniform and his helmet concealed his face.

"The one and only." Zack laughed, jostling Cloud. "How have you been, buddy? I haven't seen you in forever."

Cloud raised a brow. "We saw each other two days ago."

"Exactly, _forever_."

Cloud snickered. He never thought a SOLDIER could act childish until he met Zack. Not saying the First didn't have bouts of seriousness, just his eagerness and upbeat personality made him seem immature at times.

"So you're free, right? 'Cause I'm starving." Zack lamented and started leading the infantryman out towards the elevators.

"Actually, I already ate-"

"See there's this place down the street I've been meaning to try, but I can't get one foot in the door before my PHS rings and I'm called back to Headquarters. It's happened like five times now, and I'm starting to think it's a conspiracy, like a food conspira- Hey, Kunsel!" Zack waved at a Second Class who entered the elevator as they were exiting it.

"Hey, Zack," the Second inclined his helmet towards them and Cloud again questioned how Zack recognized masked individuals. "I got an assignment I'm finishing up right now, but we can talk later."

The elevator doors started closing when Zack grinned. "Definitely!"

Cloud thought that was the end of discussion until the Second's unseen gaze suddenly met his own.

"Cloud." Kunsel acknowledged, and he was unnerved by the shadow of a smirk on the Second's face as the doors sealed over his image.

Cloud gaped for a second, then turning to Zack he blurted. "H-how did he know my name? Did you tell him?"

"Nope!" The SOLDIER shrugged before steering Cloud down the staircase and out the building. "That's Kunsel for you, the guy knows everything and anyone that has to do with Shinra."

Cloud frowned. "That doesn't explain how he knew it was me under the helmet."

He considered how both Zack and this Kunsel guy had SOLDIER enhancements so potentially that played a role in their recognitive abilities. He turned to ask Zack, but the First was looking up at the sky. Instinctively Cloud followed his line of sight, knowing his visor would protect his vision from sun rays.

Upon seeing nothing out the ordinary, he asked, "Zack, what are you looking at?"

His inquiry went unheard as the SOLDIER scowled at the puffy, gray clouds above. A storm was brewing, but that didn't explain why the First's shoulders drooped as they entered the diner and were seated at a booth.

Cloud wrangled his helmet off and set it down next to him, growing more and more worried once only silence reigned after the waitress took their orders. Zack was frowning at the tabletop and muttering something about the sky and Aeris, or maybe an Aerith, under his breath. Cloud wondered if he should say something, but he was never one for words, so he decided to wait it out. When the First continued to sulk, however, the wrongness of seeing Zack upset became too much so tentatively he asked, "Are you okay?" He was barely audible over the clatter of dishes and chatting customers yet Zack started at the sound.

"Huh?" Zack blinked, rewinding what Cloud said in his head. "Oh," his eyes brightened in understanding. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about guy stuff." He flapped a hand dismissively.

"Guy stuff?" Cloud muttered, a bit concerned this conversation was marching into personal territory. Yet it wouldn't be right to leave Zack hanging when something was clearly bothering him. "You want to talk about it?"

Zack hesitated for half a second, but soon nodded. "Alright, maybe you can help. A couple of days ago me and my girlfriend were talki-"

Cloud nearly asked him to stop then and there. He wasn't exactly comfortable with the subject of girls and his face burned at the mental image of Zack and his girlfriend doing _intimate_ things.

Zack laughed loud and abrupt, startling the patrons behind him and making heads turn. Cloud didn't get why until the SOLDIER pointed at Cloud's face, which currently resembled a cherry.

"Just wha-" Zack struggled to stifle his laughter and Cloud wished the floor would just swallow him whole as he hunched into his mint green scarf. "Just what did you think I was about to say? You look like your head's gonna blow, Spiky!" He reached over and patted Cloud's shoulder in consolation.

Cloud averted his gaze, feeling foolish. He shouldn't have assumed Zack would talk about anything perverse, especially since the one time the First had mentioned his girlfriend he hadn't divulged her physical characteristics. All he said was that she was amazing, kind, and he missed her. Really, Zack seemed the chivalrous sort, or at least valued his girlfriend enough to keep the personal aspects of their relationship to himself.

A hand suddenly landed atop his head and ruffled his hair. Instinctively he shoved it off before seeing it was Zack, mirth alit in his eyes and grin wide. "Thanks, buddy, I needed a good laugh today."

Cloud took offense, but Zack's sincerity appeased him. It wasn't like back home where the other boys teased him for cruelty's sake. Zack didn't have a cruel bone in his body and all the teasing between them was mutual, never borne from malice. If only Cloud had the courage, he would tell Zack how much he cherished their friendship.

"Anyway," Zack glanced outside while the first drops of rain pattered against the window. "This is probably something I should do on my own. It will mean more to her that way."

Cloud was admittedly curious, but soon their food arrived and he couldn't get another word in. Not while Zack was simultaneously devouring a thick, meaty sandwich, and regaling a likely exaggerated tale about his latest mission.

To be honest, Cloud didn't mind. Exaggerated or not, he loved hearing about Zack's adventures. Hearing about the challenges a SOLDIER faced and overcame inspired Cloud. As long as he didn't give up, he would get to do all those amazing things too. Zack said so himself, was the first person since Cloud joined Shinra to express an ounce of confidence in him, and there was no way Cloud was going to let his friend down.

There was no way he would let _her_ down either.

* * *

The first droplets of rain fell while Aerith tended to the flowers outside her house. She had been neglecting them lately in favor of caring for the ones inside the church. The favoritism hadn't been intentional, simply a result of Aerith spending less and less time at home. These days she didn't even window shop at Wall Market like she used to. It was just that the Planet's voice was clearest at the church and she didn't want to risk missing a single message.

She was running out of time, she knew it. Every day she sensed Zack's death encroaching closer, every night she fell asleep picturing the many ways he could perish. A Midgar zolom sinking its fangs into the tender flesh of his neck, the flames engulfing him in the aftermath of an anti-Shinra bombing, a rival swordsman hacking him to pieces, and that was without factoring in the dangers outside Midgar.

She woke up each morning believing his death already came to pass. Aerith had slept on oblivious while the light in his eyes faded like a sun gone cold. It was ridiculous how paranoid she'd gotten, she knew, yet she couldn't breathe easy until Zack walked through those church doors.

Every time he didn't it took all her strength not to call him, but she didn't want to make Zack feel like he was neglecting her or make herself appear clingy. Above all Aerith didn't want to tip him off that something was wrong. If she did, she would have to explain how she heard of his impending death. Assuming Zack didn't immediately deem her insane, the term "Ancient" would undoubtedly come up and she wasn't ready for that. Maybe Zack would accept what she was, but it gave her chills simply thinking that word.

Heavy raindrops and a light breeze tunneled down the hole in the roof as she stepped into the church. The flowers bowed under the weight of the rainstorm and she observed them for a minute before deciding they were in no real danger and would probably appreciate a little rain.

"Ms. Gainsborough?"

Aerith spun back, inhaling sharply as her eyes locked onto the Shinra infantryman standing at the doorway. She backpedaled, terrified Shinra was finally taking her in and there would be no one left to save Zack once she was locked away. He was going to die and there would be nothing she could do to save him.

"Sorry!" The infantryman raised his hands and made a placating gesture. "Didn't mean to startle you." His soft, youthful voice took her aback. Brow furrowing, she noticed water dripping off the tips of his gloves. In fact, his whole uniform was so drenched the fabric clung to his lean figure and his scarf hung off his neck like a limp noodle. Although his helmet visor glowed blood red, the longer she stared the more certain she was that this infantryman was no threat, just a boy, and there was no way Shinra sent a mere boy to capture her.

Realizing she had jumped to conclusions, Aerith shook her head. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault I wasn't paying attention."

Seeing she had relaxed, the boy lowered his hands and Aerith noticed his whole body was trembling. He must have been freezing in those soppy clothes.

"I was sent here by Shinra." The boy started walking down the aisle, his boots squelching with his every step. "To be your personal bodyguard for today so-" His boots squeaked obnoxiously, and he paused to stare down his feet as if to silently reprimand them.

Aerith couldn't help it, she laughed. The infantryman whipped his head up, and seeing he was the source of her amusement, hunched into himself.

"I'm sorry." Aerith got a hold of herself. "That was a little mean of me." She smiled, but her eyes were drawn down in sympathy, and the boy perked up at the genuine apology.

"Let me see," Aerith turned to the flower bed. "If I can make it up to you." She crouched down, plucked a bright yellow lily from the field and swiftly sprung into a stand. "Here, this is for you." She held out the lily.

"A flower?" It took him a second to grasp the stem, giving off the impression he was shocked. "Uh, thanks." He drew the lily closer to his chest, helmet angled down as he appraised it. Then he looked up to send her a smile. "Really, I appreciate it." Sheepishly, he tacked on. "Don't see many flowers around here."

Aerith almost explained how this was the only place in Midgar where flowers grew, but her PHS beeped. She excused herself, pulled it out, read the message's first line and nearly dropped the phone.

_Subject: Bodyguard_

_From: Tseng_

_I found a kind stranger from Nibelheim per your request. He is an infantryman-_

She ceased to breathe. Her mind whirled and her heart bounced to her throat. Nibelheim, Nibelheim, she found Nibelheim!

"Ms. Gainsborough?" The boy's concerned inquiry knocked her out her stupor.

"Aerith," she rushed out before taking a much needed breath. "Just call me Aerith."

The boy stiffened. "Aerith?" Surprise sharpened his tone, but the light chattering of his teeth distracted her from noticing.

She frowned, calculated the expense, then came to a decision. "Wait here."

"What?" The infantryman reached out to her as she darted around him. "I can't wait here, I'm your bodyguard."

His earnestness was touching, so from the doorway she reassured him. "I won't be long."

Aerith sped out, and though it left her breathless, she made it back in five minutes. The infantryman was standing on the church steps, likely having decided to search for her until he saw her returning.

"I hope these fit." She handed him a large paper bag, glad to be rid of the weight while she tried catching her breath.

"You bought me clothes?" His tone was laced with incredulity as he followed her into the church.

"Yes." She went to her garden, but the downpour made her hang back. "I bought a towel too. Use it to dry yourself off, then you can change over there." She pointed back to a shady corner of the room.

The boy looked from her to the corner and back. "I can't. Uniform is required when on duty." His frustration wasn't aimed at her.

Aerith regarded him. "It's not like anyone will see you." She smiled serenely and overly-sweet asked, "Or do you expect me to peek?" She winked, then giggled when the boy started and began waving his hands wildly.

"No, no, no, no," he stuttered. "I'm not worried about that!" He sounded downright scandalized.

"Good!" Aerith clapped her hands over her chest, the personification of innocence. "Hurry and change then, I don't want you to catch a cold." She turned back to her flowers, half-expecting a protest, but upon hearing a sigh instead she knew he had given in.

Within seconds wet clothing plopped on the floor behind her, though Aerith paid it no mind as she pondered which questions to ask the boy from Nibelheim. The grass and stems of the flower bed rustled under the rain while she planned how to pose her questions without giving herself away. She highly doubted the infantryman had replaced her Turk followers for the day so much as he was added in, which meant even now they were spying on her.

Tseng may have bought her cover story, but he would grow suspicious if Aerith didn't go dress shopping soon. Asking too many questions about Nibelheim, if overheard, could warrant the same reaction. She needed to act casual. Although she desperately needed answers, it could jeopardize everything if the Turks noticed her abnormal behavior and started asking questions.

"I'm done."

Aerith twisted around and her eyes widened. The boy's helmet was tucked under his arm, pressed against the plain, black t-shirt and sweatpants she'd bought while his gloves were the only remaining piece of uniform he wore. His blue eyes shined not as brilliantly as Zack's, but were lovely just the same, and spiky, blond tufts framed them.

She was stunned, but upon noticing the boy shirked under her gaze, she looked away. "I'm glad they fit you."

"I can pay you back." He suddenly came up to her, leaving his helmet on a pew by his damp clothes. "How much?"

"There's no need." She waved him off. "It's my fault you got caught in the rain, I requested you."

He frowned and she marveled at the expression. She always hated the helmets SOLDIERs and infantrymen wore, it made them all blend together into a shapeless mass that did little to dignify them as individual human beings.

"You requested me?" His quizzical expression was warranted. A girl from the slums having the type of pull to request a Shinra bodyguard was unusual enough, but then that same girl thwarted said bodyguard's attempts to guard her in favor of getting him dry clothes. It sounded outlandish even to her.

Aerith nodded and the infantryman mulled this over before asking, "Do you know me?"

She shook her head. "I don't even know your name." Her expression was pleasant, yet the boy flinched.

"Sorry," he amended and hastily stretched out his hand. "I'm Cloud."

Aerith brightened, happy to see the infantryman was opening up already. "Nice to meet you, Cloud." She grasped his hand.

And the Planet roared to life.

Their wide eyes met as the world blackened around them.

A tidal wave of voices drowned out their joint screaming.

The shadows crept over their bodies.

All sense fled and they were lost to the dark.

_This is how he dies._

* * *

Aerith stood taller and older in an outfit she had never seen before. The red jacket and silver bracelets adorned a pink dress that fit her like a glove and was comfortable to boot as she crouched beside the church flowers. She was feeling content, not happy, but content as she gently ran her fingertips over the blossoming buds.

Rain sprinkled overhead, startling her into looking up at the hole in the roof. As she stood, the Planet's mummers dwindled into a single, distinct voice.

_He is soon to die._

Confused as she was by the message, pity still welled up in her heart for the man spoken of. He was dying, and though she wasn't sure why the Planet cared for this poor soul, she shut her eyes in reverence for the loss of life and cupped her hands over her chest. Silently she prayed the man would go in peace. Too few ever did.

Bright blue eyes flashed in her mind and horror drenched her soul. She gasped and flung up her head as those eyes were _his_. Those were Zack's eyes, he was dying!

It didn't matter that he left her waiting for years, how eighty-nine letters went unanswered. He was _dying_. Blood puddling around him under the overcast sky while he laid broken and the Planet prepared to take him away.

Please, _no_.

_This is why he dies._

Cloud couldn't think beyond the name Zack as he crawled under the torrent of rain. He was wearing First Class SOLDIER uniform, mako-infused eyes a stunning blue, yet the dream attained meant nothing.

His arms were throbbing and numb at the same time, but once he reached that scarily familiar body on the cliff side, the pain didn't matter.

"Z-Zack?" Cloud stared down at that unblinking, pale face fearing his friend was already dead. There was just so much blood running off his skin and he was far too still.

Suddenly Zack grimaced, proving himself alive, before his expression relaxed and his gaze landed on Cloud. "For the...both of us."

"Both...of us?" Cloud repeated, the syllables strung together meaningless in his hazy mind. Human speech was a puzzle, one he didn't care to solve when his best friend was dying right in front of him. Rather his mind ran on auto, unaware of anything besides his dying friend as he repeated Zack's words again and again without comprehension.

All that registered were feelings. How safe he felt as Zack's trembling hand landed on the back of his neck and pulled him down for an ephemeral embrace. How he wept inside as he heard Zack's wheezing gasps for air and felt the warmth of Zack's body lessen the longer his head rested on his chest. Cloud's heart shattering when Zack's hand slid off him and his warm blood marred his skin and hair in a twisted version of a blood pact between brothers.

Zack smiled, his eyes locked onto Cloud one last time and then drifted close. He waited for them to open again. He stared at that smiling face and waited and waited and waited.

But Zack was dead. Zack was dead, dead, died for Cloud, and it was all too much! Memories and emotions filtered in fast and coupled with Zack being _dead dead dead_ until he couldn't take it. Mind splintered in a thousand pieces, Cloud threw back his head and screamed.

Cloud was still screaming when his knees hit the floorboards of the church and may never have stopped screaming if the girl in pink hadn't tumbled into him. Falling back on the floor with Aerith's trembling and prone form landing atop him, Cloud tried screaming again but found he was too winded.

He needed to run, needed to escape that horrible _horrible_ vision, but hysteria had locked up his joints and scrambled his brain. His heart beat louder than the clashing of cymbals and outpaced the beating of a hummingbird's wings. His hands clawed at the floor in a panicked search for something to grasp.

When his fingers found purchase in the floorboards, he dug his nails into the thin gap and held on for dear life. It wasn't real, that must have been a dream or nightmare, a hallucination!

"You saw it too, you saw it too, I know you saw it, Cloud." Aerith was bracing her arms on either side of his head, he suddenly realized, and fervent desperation shone in her red-rimmed eyes.

Oddly enough, the sight of tears dribbling down her cheeks was what drew him out of his turmoil. "What was that?" He whispered in a strangled rasp of a voice.

"His death, Zack's-" Her hand shot up to her mouth, muffling her own horror. Abruptly she pushed herself up and sat aside, pulling her knees to her chest while Cloud sat up. Numbly he stared ahead to the same place Aerith had stood while Zack died.

Aerith sniffled and Cloud turned to her as she bowed her head so the fabric of her dress hid her from the world. Though she only allowed herself the luxury for a minute. Soon she lifted her chin and scrubbed at her tears. Cloud did the same, unsurprised to find his own face damp.

"This-" Her voice cut out, but she shoved past the lump lodged in her throat. "This church is special." She set her sights on the garden ahead, voice hardly above a whisper. "It's the only place where flowers grow in Midgar...and the only place where the Planet talks."

"The Planet...talks?"

Aerith flinched and Cloud realized he sounded exactly like he did in that dreadful vision. He always did have a tendency to repeat phrases he didn't understand, a habit he would be nipping in the bud after today.

"Yes, it talks sometimes." She recovered. "I thought I was the only one who could hear it, but apparently so can you." The half-truth slipped off her tongue too easily, but there wasn't time to elaborate. More than ever she understood now what little time remained. If the Planet had elevated from messages to visions, and even roped in another person, Zack's death had to be imminent.

Aerith exhaled through her nose and Cloud waited patiently for her to say, "Let me start from the beginning."

They spent the next two hours talking in hushed tones, as Aerith had mentioned the Turks might be listening. Cloud never asked why the Turks were spying on her and Aerith explained everything she could without mentioning "Ancients".

It was mainly an exchange of information between them, Cloud telling her about his strange dreams and his friendship with Zack. She did the same, even revealing her original intention to learn of Nibelheim through him.

"Do you think the Planet meant for this to happen?"

Aerith stared at him, so Cloud clarified. "The message about Nibelheim. Do you think the Planet was telling you where Zack's death begins or it wanted you to find me?"

"Both." Aerith had long ago decided the Planet always knew what it was doing, it just needed a little help sometimes. "It was answering one of my questions _and_ leading me to you."

Cloud nodded and the silence filled the air between them for the first time in hours. Aerith peeked at her PHS and frowned at the time. Her mother would be expecting her home soon.

"What are we going to do?" Cloud's voice cracked on the last word.

Only now did Aerith recognize the bombshell she had dropped on the boy. If the emotional upheaval from learning his best friend was heading into the jaws of death wasn't enough, the vision sent from the Planet would certainly be giving him nightmares tonight, assuming he could sleep at all.

"We're going shopping."

Cloud reeled back, mouth falling open, but Aerith was stone-cold serious. "That's what I told the Turks we'd do."

"Oh." He nodded, but soon asked, "And after that?"

"We keep in contact, message each other about theories, call the second one of us learns something new. We'll meet up next chance we get."

"Okay." Cloud ran a hand through his hair, sighing, but soon noticed she was trembling. "Aerith?"

"We'll save him, won't we? There's still time?" Her brittle voice broke apart into a sob and the world blurred into a mash of colors, the patter of rain quickly drowned out by the intensity of her cries.

A kind voice called to her and hands gently grabbed hold of her own, but they weren't warm like Zack's and Cloud's eyes were blue, but she didn't taste freedom when she gazed into them.

Wailing as Cloud's arm curled over her shoulders and bundled her tight against his chest, Aerith fell to pieces. She finally let herself tear apart at the seams because now she wasn't alone. Her burden had been shared and she didn't have to be strong all by herself anymore. It was okay to let go.

"We _are_ going to save him." Cloud rubbed circles on her back, his jaw clenched in determination.

"I know," she lied, and sobbed ever more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Any comments or feedback is welcomed :)


	2. Chapter 2

Aerith examined the girl in the mirror, peering closely at her irises. Swollen blood vessels infringed on their emerald hue, so her eyes needed to be treated first. She squeezed eye drops in each one, blinked the solution in, washed her face in the sink, and applied a light blush to regain her natural glow. Although nothing could remove the haunted look from her eyes, most traces of her breakdown were now concealed.

She stepped out the bar's cramp, single restroom and found Cloud standing outside with her shopping bags at his feet. His eyes reflected her trauma, but only the puffiness around them proved he gave way to tears earlier.

She smiled wanly and handed him the tiny eye drops bottle, figuring he could use it. Then on a whim she cupped her hands, set them against her cheek, and with a winning smile, batted her eyelashes. "How do I look?"

Cloud huffed, amused and heartened by her attempt to lighten the mood. "Ten out of ten, technique could use a little work though."

She giggled and playfully shoved him towards the restroom. "Okay, Mr. Judge. Let's see you do better."

His mouth quirked up as he went in and shut the door. Seconds later Aerith's smile fell.

That vision had been awful. No, _atrocious_. Imagining Zack's death was one thing, but actually seeing it was beyond horrifying. Zack wasn't meant to die under bleak storm clouds, he was a creature of light, and if he was to die it should be under crystal blue skies. And his pain, his helplessness as he lay dying was _wrong_. Zack was always strong, Aerith's shield and knight, yet in the end he was hardly able to speak.

What did he think as his breaths slowed to a stop? Of Cloud? His parents? His tragically short life? ...Or could it be he thought of her?

Aerith's PHS beeped and she jumped, tossing a hand over her heart. The bartender wiping the counter gave her an odd look, but she ignored him as she checked her inbox.

_Subject: I have a surprise!_

_From: Zack_

_Hello, beautiful! I know it's getting late, but could you meet me at the Sector 7 station in ten minutes?_

A maelstrom of despair struck her, and her efforts nearly went to waste as she clamped down on a fresh wave of tears. Just reading his words, so merry and carefree, wounded her. It ached like a dagger to the heart seeing Zack live a life fuller than most, knowing it would end sooner than most too. It was utterly sickening. So much so her insides churned and she clutched her middle, teetering against the nausea.

"Aerith?" Cloud was suddenly holding her shoulders and peering into her face, the embodiment of concern. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Her lips parted, but bile threatened to rise up her throat so she sealed them and shook her head. Cloud hovered over her while she took a deep breath then released it slowly. She repeated the process a few more times until the sickness passed, and he let her go as she straightened.

Averting her gaze, she admitted. "Zack messaged me, and I..."

Comprehension and sympathy lit up Cloud's expression. Grateful she didn't have to go into detail, she continued. "He wants to see me and I can't say no."

"Are you sure?" Cloud frowned, aware of her fragile state.

"Mhm." Her head bobbed. Then she whipped out her PHS and told Zack she was on her way before she could talk herself out of it.

"If you want, I can go with you." Cloud rubbed the back of his neck, looking off towards a television playing at the back of the bar.

Aerith's lips curved into a small smile. The boy clearly didn't want to be a third-wheel and likely wasn't prepared to see Zack yet, but he would if she asked him to. What a sweetheart.

"Zack was right." Cloud turned back, face scrunched in confusion. "You are like a chocobo chick."

His eyebrows shot to his hairline. "W-what?!"

Aerith giggled. "Zack said he has a friend who reminds him of a chocobo chick, cute and spirited."

Cloud face-palmed, cheeks reddening as he groaned. "Are you sure he meant me?"

Her eyes flicked to his hair. "Zack called him _Spiky_."

Cloud grumbled about the spikes running in his family and Aerith patted his shoulder in commiseration.

Lowering his hand, he sobered as he assessed her. "Do you want me to come?"

Aerith shook her head. "No, it's okay. I'll be fine." She bent over to grab her bags and held them out to him. "Could you drop this off at the church when you pick up your uniform? I'm the only one that goes in there so it should be fine."

He accepted the bags, yet bit his lip and pleaded. "Don't be a stranger, Aerith."

She beamed. "Of course I won't, we're friends."

His whole body jolted, eyes widening and fluttering rapidly, but soon his face melted into a timid tenderness. "Call me if you need anything, anything at all, even if it's just to talk." His voice was kind yet stern.

"Okay," she nodded, equally serious.

Cloud gave her a parting look before turning and striding out the bar. Aerith watched him go, a chill creeping over her skin as her sole support vanished from sight. Cloud hadn't abandoned her, was merely a call away, but she still felt bitterly alone as she walked to Sector 7.

* * *

Aerith ended up being a few minutes late, so wasn't surprised Zack already stood among the cluster of people at the train station. His back was to her as he glanced around and she mentally steeled herself, locking up tight the image of rain hitting his battered body. The bullet holes riddling his chest as his very life seeped out in scarlet rivers. His smile's radiance outlasting even him as his eyes fell shut forever.

"Aerith!" Zack hollered upon seeing her, waving high above the people milling about as if he thought she would have trouble finding him. Knowing him, he forgot his SOLDIER uniform stood out in the slums.

She started giggling, but it was borderline hysterical so she cut herself off while Zack jogged over. Plastering on a coy smile, she met him in the middle. "Did I ever tell you I love a man in uniform?"

"Did I ever tell you I love a girl in pink?" He smirked, leaning down to peck her cheek, and her mental wall cracked as she spotted water drops rolling down his forehead. His hair must have gotten damp in the rain, exactly like as he died. Vision suddenly overcoming her, Zack's smiling face blurred with the memory of his smiling corpse because of course Zack's final act was to smile.

"Ready for your surprise?" His voice was light and melodious, and she savored the sound. It blocked out the whisper in the back of her head saying Zack was already dead, his fate sealed.

She didn't believe it, and didn't wish to hear of it anymore. Aerith was tired of premonitions. She just wanted to exist in the here and now, to simply enjoy being with Zack. No worries or fears weighing her down, just a boy and girl cultivating the love between them.

Aerith grinned, baring her teeth. "That depends, is it my flower wagon?"

Zack deflated, put out by the reminder he yet to build the long-awaited wagon. "Uh, no, it isn't." He chuckled nervously and straightened, rubbing the back of his neck. She narrowed her eyes, hands on her hips, but he hastily waved her down. "But it's better than that, waaay better!" He rocked on the balls of his feet, body humming with enthusiasm.

"Oh, alright." She relaxed her stance, excitement trickling into her tone as she asked, "Where is it?" She looked around him.

"Not here." Zack turned halfway and pointed to the train people were boarding as others slipped out. "It's above plate." He grinned like he offered her the world gift-wrapped with a bow.

Yet her heart stopped. Her brain burned out like an old lamp. The world lurched and swayed, a rowboat adrift a stormy sea. She should have known. He asked to meet at the train station, something he had never done before, and this was later than usual for a date.

Now it made sense. He was going to show her the sky. Today, now, _right now_. She wasn't ready, her emotions were all over the place and she was a mess. It didn't matter that she asked him to. It was the sky she would be facing, the enormity waiting to swallow her up and never return her. She would fall up higher and higher until the clouds drifted below and her pink was lost to the blue.

"Aerith?" Zack reached out to her, lips slanted down and brow furrowing, but she couldn't ruin this. It was supposed to be a happy day, and who knew how few of these days they had left. She wasn't going to ruin what might be their final day together. No, she rather be like Zack.

Go out smiling.

"I'm nervous." She latched onto his hand and reeled him in with it, making him stumble. "So hold me tight, okay?" She placed his hand on her waist and his arm instinctively twined around her while she hugged his side and leaned her head against his chest.

His heartbeat thrummed loud and steady, telling her Zack lived, he was here with her and together nothing could hurt them. The sky was no match for the might of Zack's heart.

"Are you sure about this?" His voice was pitched low, a sweet and tender timbre reserved solely for her. "We don't have to if you don't want to." His grip tightened, negating his words. He wanted her to go up, longed to show her a whole new side of the world, and she would not disappoint.

Aerith raised her chin so he could see the resolve burning in her eyes. "I want to."

His expression became carefully blank as he examined her, and she fretted as the seconds passed. If Zack's protective instincts kicked in now she would not be seeing the sky today, perhaps she never would.

He turned away, expression unreadable, and she already saw him insisting they stay below until he asked, "Did I ever tell you, I gotta thing for brave girls?" Zack turned back with a toothy grin and hope bloomed in her chest while he grew serious. "I won't let go for a second." His free hand slipped over hers, lifting it off himself as their fingers threaded and they shuffled aboard the train.

The clamor of people made her ears ring as they situated themselves in a corner and the overhead lights bleached the world white. That, or she was about to faint. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage and she was sure everyone could hear it. If not, they certainly heard her squeak when the train started moving.

Zack, mercifully intuitive, caressed her palm while she cowered into him. His featherlight touch settled her somewhat and she scowled at herself for needing it. To think he called her brave when here she was panicking before they even arrived.

Hoping to salvage her reputation, she said, "I haven't ridden a train in years." Her voice quivered and she despised it.

"I understand." Zack said, tone purposely placid, and the lack of accusation soothed her. "I remember the first time I rode a train. I'd just arrived at Midgar, and everything was so big and loud. The trains were the worst 'cause they screeched like banshees every time they stopped, and for a while I avoided the stations 'cause I thought some sort of screechy dragon was on the loose there." He laughed at himself and she smiled, picturing a young, lanky Zack hiding from a train.

"But I wanted to join SOLDIER and the only way to reach the Shinra Building was by train, so I got on, and boy was I mess! I must have fell over a _dozen_ times. I even tripped into some lady's lap, and she got so red, would have given me an earful if I hadn't ran into the next car."

Aerith started shaking and Zack tensed before realizing it was from quiet amusement, her chortles warming the spot over his heart before dwindling into a final sputter. Then her head angled up and her smile gleamed gold as the sun saturated her in light. He had seen her under the spotlight in the church before, but this was the first time he viewed her under the full ray of the sun. Golden halo shimmering around her, Zack truly thought her an angel.

However, when the train stopped and people herded out, Aerith instinctively tracked them to the doors and terror overtook her expression as she glimpsed a slither of sky. Gasping, her eyes slammed shut and she burrowed into Zack hard enough to make him totter.

"I'm sorry, but I-I can't look. Just give me a minute." Her high-pitched plea was embarrassingly adolescent.

"That's okay." He squeezed her, ignoring the curious looks people entering the train were giving them. "There's a specific place I want to take you anyway. So how about I guide you for now and once were there, I'll tell you to look up?"

Aerith nodded her face against him, feeling like a shy child hiding behind her mother's dress. Zack snickered, clearly amused by this, and she scowled, swatting his back.

"Hey!" Zack squawked. "It's not my fault you're acting all cute." Aerith huffed, swatting him again, but that only made him laugh harder until her own laughter chimed with his.

Together they shuffled out the train doors, and though her eyes were screwed shut, Aerith felt the full scope of the sun hitting her. The warm sensation made her grin until she remembered the sun was in the sky, meaning there was no plate or ceiling, nothing except open air above her. If she slipped out the ring of Zack's arms, she would fly up and up eternally, never to be found.

"Why did you join SOLDIER?" The question hurtled off her tongue in a desperate attempt to find a distraction.

Zack froze, and she would have tripped if she hadn't been hugging his torso. "Sorry, I just haven't been asked that in a while." He resumed walking, albeit at a slower pace. "Eh, there were a lot of reasons, but you know me, I can't stay cooped up for long. One day my hometown felt too small and I wanted some excitement in my life, to see more of the world, go on a real adventure." His voice rose, past excitement resurfacing.

"So the usual country boy dreams?" She asked to keep him talking.

Zack shrugged. "I guess, but it wasn't just that." He straightened, squaring his shoulders. "My dream is to become a hero."

Genuine passion colored his tone and Aerith wasn't surprised. "I guess you're living the dream then." SOLDIERs were hailed as heroes by the general public.

"Not really." Zack sighed, taking her aback. "I mean I've saved people, battled monsters, and swept a pretty girl off her feet." His tease got a giggle out of her. "But doing heroic stuff doesn't make me a hero. To truly be a hero, I have to do something amazing, go above and beyond for something really important." The strength backing his words hit her hard as the image of him lying dead sprung to mind.

_This is why he dies._

Cloud. Zack died saving Cloud. He really meant it. He would go above and beyond, lay down his life for someone he cared about. Zack would become a hero and it would cost him everything.

Suddenly she wanted to tell him it was stupid, a dumb, foolish thing to dream about. Even if it hurt him, even if it hurt her, she wanted to scream and shout until he gave up because his dream wasn't worth it. Not if it meant living in a world without her Zack.

"That's a nice dream," she lied instead.

He chuckled. "That it is." He came to a stop, and she noticed the sound of people and cars zipping past had dimmed. Understanding what this meant, her knees wobbled and her nails dug into his shirt.

"I know you're scared."

That was an understatement. Frightened beyond all reason was more appropriate.

"So don't feel the need to look if you're not ready. I can wait-"

She whipped up her head and her eyes flew open while Zack gasped.

Blue. The sky was a brilliant blue dotted by clouds ranging from snow white to ash gray, and she was crushed by its enormity. Her lip trembled and her breaths quickened as there was no end. No lines, edges or corners, the sky just kept going and going as far as she could see.

Zack said something, but the blood pumping through her veins was all she could hear. Her legs were rubber and a scream was bubbling inside. She wasn't as brave as Zack thought and shame burned within until she noticed an arch of colors above an apartment building.

"Is that a rainbow?" Her eyes widened and jaw slackened as she stared at the spectrum. Behind the translucent red to orange to yellow and beyond laid the sky, but the rainbow made her forget. It was just such a wondrous sight, such luminous colors adorning the air!

"Yes, that's the surprise!" Zack flashed his pearly whites at her and she realized she was doing the same. "I haven't seen a rainbow out here in ages, but when I did, I thought about how you can't see the sky below plate and figured you probably never seen one. It's nice, right?" He was practically bouncing in place, glad to have pleased her, and Aerith laughed, utterly delighted.

She really did it. She faced the sky with Zack and life went on. Even though the sky still beckoned her, wanting to carry her off to the heavens above, she was safe in Zack's arms.

"Yes, I love it!" Aerith cheered, hopping up to kiss him. He smiled against her lips and looked blissfully dazed as they pulled apart, pink dusting his cheeks. She probably looked the same, light and giddy with a gigawatt smile.

Her PHS beeped, however, and both were crestfallen as she pulled it out. It was a message from her mom, asking where she was and if she was okay because Aerith was never late to dinner. Realizing she forgotten to let her mom know she was running late, she quickly typed a reply.

"You have to go home?" Zack pouted, wearing his finest kicked-puppy expression, and her lips curved up.

"Yes." He deflated and her smile turned wicked. "But you can come with me if you like."

He jerked up ramrod straight. "Huh? Really?!"

"Silly," she giggled and placed her hand on his unscarred cheek. "Of course, my mom always cooks more than we can eat. I hope you like barbecue."

Zack's face split into a jubilant grin and she cried out as he suddenly scooped her into his arms. "This is the best date ever!" He cackled, spinning them round and round while Aerith squealed in unbridled glee and clung to his neck. Above her Zack's laughter rang out to the heavens and all the world's colors blended. For one perfect moment there was simply Aerith and Zack, whirling in a kaleidoscope, alive as ever.

* * *

It happened again. Cloud woke up slick from sweat with a bad case of vertigo. He flopped back in his bunk bed, shadows swirling above and a voice echoing in his head.

It wasn't the Planet's voice this time. Although the dream resembled the ones the Planet sent him, containing no visuals and audio constantly cutting out, the dialogue was clear enough for him to identify a different speaker.

_"What are you going to do once we get to Midgar?"_ Zack asked over a truck motor's roar.

_"We're_ _friends, right?"_ Zack's smile shined through his gentle tone.

Zack never asked him those questions before, yet a part of Cloud felt like he had. Almost like he remembered Zack saying these exact words not in a dream or vision, but in his memories.

Cloud swiped his PHS out from under his pillow. He hissed when the light hit his face and squinted at the time. It was five-thirty, an hour before he needed to get up, but he doubted most people were awake. Therefore he sent Aerith a message hoping she would wake up and see it by at least ten.

He didn't relate the latest vision to her since the dialogue wasn't connected to Zack's death. It seemed more like the Planet's way of reminding him what was at stake, how his closest friend might die.

Though it was strange how Zack asked what he was going to do in Midgar when they were already employed by Shinra. Even if the vision took place years in the future, there was no way Zack would ever quit SOLDIER and neither would he. Especially not after the first vision showed Cloud wearing First class uniform. He really was going to make SOLDIER one day, was going to become a hero like Sephiroth. He'd go home and his mother would hug him tight while Tifa's smile lit up the world.

It should have made him happy, but that vision also showed Zack dying and Cloud helpless to stop it. All the power of SOLDIER and Cloud still would be too weak to protect his friend. If he couldn't even save Zack, how could he ever expect to keep his promise to Tifa?

Sighing, the blond ran a hand through his bangs, but shot up when his PHS beeped. Blanket sliding off his shoulders and pooling in his lap, he blinked owlishly at the text.

_Subject: RE: Planet Visions_

_From: Aerith_

_Good morning! Don't worry, you didn't wake me. I was already up writing in my journal. _ _Besides, you can call me anytime too._

He blushed, pleased and embarrassed Aerith was extending the same courtesy he granted her. However, his face fell as he read on.

_You're right. When I really think about it, the Planet's vision felt like a memory. It wasn't like I watched my future self, it was more like I slipped into her body. I felt what she felt and thought her thoughts._

Cloud nodded, relieved she experienced the same thing. At the same time he was puzzled. The future hadn't happened yet so how could a vision of Zack's death feel like a memory?

It wasn't necessarily an important question since the answer wouldn't help them save him, but it was curious. Aerith must have thought the same because his phone buzzed and her message held a new topic.

_Could you tell me about Nibelheim? What is it like? Is it peaceful there? What types of monsters are native to the area? Is there anything special about it that stands out to you?_

Cloud recalled the Planet's third message and the severity of her questioning wasn't lost on him. Somehow his little hometown would play a role in Zack's death, and his mind whirred with the possibilities. Nibelheim was like most small towns, generally calm and quiet. Its most dangerous creatures were Nibel dragons, but they never bothered the town and a First like Zack could handle the likes of them. Location wise, the only place of interest was the mako reactor, but those were in every small town these days.

Cloud pinched the bridge of his nose, stress rising with each passing second. He remembered Aerith's cries, her sorrow mingling with his, and he desperately yearned for a lead.

He didn't want Zack to die. Cloud would give up being SOLDIER, pack up and go home right now if it would save him. He didn't want Zack to hold him close, his blood staining Cloud's face as his life slipped away. He dreaded the moment Zack would push the Buster sword in his hands, confident Cloud could shoulder his legacy.

He didn't want Zack to die for him. Cloud was nothing special, just some nobody who couldn't get into SOLDIER. Zack was the amazing one, so amazing he thought a nobody like him was worth dying for.

Tears pricking his eyes, Cloud bowed his head. He needed a lead for Aerith's sake, for his own, and for his only friend at Shinra. Wait, _Shinra_. The Shinra Mansion!

He quickly compiled information on the mansion into a message, though it wasn't much. Non-Shinra personal weren't allowed inside the place and everybody heard the rumor about the mansion being haunted so tended to avoid it anyway.

Seconds later his phone chimed and read:_ The Shinra Mansion sounds like a good place to start. Do you think you can investigate it today? Maybe ask someone at Shinra about it?_

Cloud mulled it over. He didn't know many people at Shinra and didn't want to ask a stranger about the mansion. Really the only person he felt comfortable bringing this up to was Zack. At the very least, the First was on friendly terms with more people and could direct Cloud to a trustworthy source.

He told Aerith as much, and after a moment, added that she should get on the mailing list for Zack's fan club. They tracked the SOLDIER's every move, so could help them keep an eye on the First. If Zack got an assignment at Nibelheim like they were expecting, his fan club would know practically the second Zack did.

His phone lit up with a new message and he blanched as it read:_ Cloud, how do you know so much about Zack's fan club? It couldn't be you've already joined...or is somebody a fanboy?_

Flustered, he couldn't think of a reply before the next message said:_ Don't worry, your secret is safe with me ;)_

_Thanks for all your help. To repay you I'm sending you cookies through Zack. Talk to you later, Cloud!_

A familiar nervousness knotted his stomach and it took him a second to recognize it as the same feeling he got around Zack whenever the First roped Cloud into one of his half-baked schemes. Those of which ranged anywhere from spying on Turks for the irony of it to using Cloud to lure in wild chocobos. As for the first, he was pretty sure the Turk noticed them immediately and simply ignored them while the second was an event he liked to pretend didn't happen because somehow Cloud's fake warking actually attracted one chocobo.

Cloud laid back, rolled over, and stuffed his face into his pillow. No wonder Zack and Aerith were a couple. They both were going to be the death of him.

* * *

Zack's day was off to a great start. He awoke to Aerith's gorgeous face bidding him good morning because her mother let him stay in their guest room after he wowed her over dinner. This was a major achievement considering Ms. Gainsborough didn't seem too keen on Shinra and his eyes were a dead giveaway he was SOLDIER. Yet his natural charm and country boy manners eventually won the woman over. It helped that Aerith kept steering the conversation to things like him helping that boy get his wallet back, reuniting a lost child with his mother, and promising to build Aerith a pretty flower wagon by hand. After being painted a saint, Aerith's mother practically adopted him, which was fine as long as his own parents never got wind of it.

Now Zack stood in the kitchen, Aerith at the counter packing dinner leftovers in a picnic basket while he thought over last night and asked if she thought him a saint.

"Maaaybe." Aerith's back was to him as she arranged last night's dessert, a variety of sugar cookies, in the basket.

"Well, that's nice to know." Zack sidled up to her, tossing an arm around her waist and leaning down to whisper huskily in her ear. "Because I heard a saint with an angel is a match made in heaven."

"Oh, you!" Aerith shoved him off and he let her because the distance let him see her blush better. After all, pink was a lovely color on her.

"Here, it's all packed." Aerith handed him the basket and caught his other hand, leading him to the front door. "Remember to share the cookies with your friends." She said as she opened it.

He cocked an eyebrow, but couldn't keep the grin off his face as he asked, "What's that supposed to mean? You saying something about my weight?"

"Silly," Aerith giggled and brought him down for a kiss. "Have a nice day!" She waved as he headed out, and he couldn't help but recall his own mother doing the same as his father went to work. When did they become so domestic?

Zack entered Shinra Headquarters certain his day was going to be perfect after the wonderful morning he had. He believed this up till he got off the elevator, turned a corner and narrowly avoided colliding with an infantryman.

He was all set to apologize when he recognized the guy's short stature and lithe frame. "Cloud?"

The infantryman flinched, stepping back, and Zack frowned. He was sure it was his younger friend under the helmet, but received no verbal confirmation before the infantryman fled, and boy, the guy could run for an unenhanced individual.

This only solidified his belief it was Cloud, which begged the question of what Zack had done to spook him. Cloud wasn't scared easily. His shyness stemmed from a lack of self-confidence, not fear of others. Yet Cloud had ran. From _him_. This needed correcting immediately.

First, he tried calling Cloud, but he didn't pick up so Zack decided to wait for the blond outside his target practice class. However, Cloud must have noticed him on the other side of the glass window because his gun aim went from hitting dead center on the target board to hitting the wall beside it. The Second teaching the class started reaming Cloud out and Zack felt so guilty he left.

It bothered him how little sense this made. Cloud messaged him earlier this morning, sounding normal as ever, but now he was avoiding him. He knew Cloud was because the blond had a routine when stationed at Headquarters, one that included eating his lunch at noon in the cafeteria.

However, once Zack sat at a cafeteria table by his lonesome for thirty minutes, he decided a new plan was in order. One idea was to search each floor for Cloud, but the infantryman might have left the building. Therefore, Zack instead messaged Kunsel, and was only mildly disturbed the Second retrieved Cloud's exact coordinates in under a minute.

Basket in hand, Zack pushed open the stairwell door and feigned surprise as Cloud's helmeted head jerked up from the top step. He was sitting with a half-eaten sandwich on his knee, water bottle by his feet and mouth parted in shock.

"Hey, Cloud!" Zack swiftly went up, perching right next to the infantryman and hating how he tensed. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you forgot where the cafeteria is _again_." He smirked, watching what little he could see of Cloud's skin shift from paper white to scarlet.

"That was one time, Zack!" He snapped, glaring through his visor.

"Okay, okay." He raised his hands in surrender. "You're right, I won't bring it up again, promise." He clapped Cloud's shoulder and felt the muscles beneath gradually relax.

He might have thought his mission accomplished if Cloud wasn't still wearing his helmet. That thing was like a sauna for heads according to Cloud, which was why he took it off every chance he got. The fact he still wore it like a turtle hiding in his shell, was telling enough.

Although Zack maintained his grin, his heart plummeted to the earth and kept falling. His little buddy was hiding from him, wearing armor like he perceived Zack a threat, and he didn't understand. He hadn't talked to Cloud since yesterday prior to their near collision, so it couldn't be anything Zack did to instill such fear in Cloud.

Meaning someone else had. Someone said or did something to make Cloud afraid of him. Perhaps Cloud overheard a nasty rumor- No, the guy was smarter than that. Then maybe...maybe he was threatened?

Cloud did mention once the other infantrymen were jealous he knew a First like Zack. He played it off like a joke, but Zack could read between the lines. Sometimes the other guys messed with Cloud, and while Zack was happy to stop any form of bullying, Cloud wouldn't give names and Zack couldn't hover over him each day. Even if he had the time, shadowing Cloud would only escalate the animosity. Still, if somebody threatened his little buddy to stay away from him he was gonna-

"Um, Zack?" He turned to Cloud, but sensed the blond wasn't meeting his eyes, which was a good thing since Zack was boiling inside and his eyes were glowing sapphire with his rage. "Did you find anything on the Shinra Mansion?"

Zack frowned, wanting to demand Cloud admit who hurt him, but knowing a raging First was not what the kid needed. Cloud needed a friend, someone he could talk to about anything, even uncomfortable topics such as someone threatening him.

"Yes and no." Zack shrugged, forcing himself to act casual. "I asked Kunsel about it, but he couldn't find anything in the Shinra database except a copy of the deed. It really made his day."

Cloud cocked his head. "It did?"

Zack laughed. "Kunsel loves a good mystery and according to him, Shinra only documents the boring stuff. The top secret things don't get records."

"So he thinks there's actually something important there?"

"Yup." He patted Cloud's back. "And here I thought you came from a boring little town like me."

Cloud snorted right as Zack's PHS started ringing. He saw Aerith's number and grinned before it hit him that Cloud still needed his help. Someone had threatened his friend and Zack still didn't know who the culprit was or the exact nature of the threat.

"Going to answer that?" Cloud asked, and Zack was torn. He didn't want to leave his pal hanging, but lunch break was almost over and Cloud would leave soon anyway, so Zack admitted defeat for now.

"Yeah." He shoved the basket in Cloud's arms, accidentally pushing Cloud back in his rush. "They're cookies my girlfriend told me to share with my friends, and we're friends, right?"

The blood drained from Cloud's face, but Zack was already heading out the door and speaking into his phone. He never noticed Cloud tremble behind him, sandwich and basket hitting the floor as he took off up the stairs.

Cloud ran up and up towards his namesakes, seeking asylum from the earth, but when he burst onto the roof he realized his error.

Wings were needed for flight and he was only human.

* * *

Aerith wore the biggest smile as she rolled the prettiest flower wagon in the world down the street. It was precious_, _absolutely gorgeous. Sunny yellow edges, bubblegum pink bows lashed around the vanilla white cart, and within her finest flowers danced in the breeze. She didn't know how Zack built, painted, and decorated the wagon to perfection without her input, but she was more than pleased by the craftsmanship. For some reason she had been certain he would roll a cross between a motorcycle and wagon into her church, boasting of its awesomeness, or present a wagon so bland she would have to cajole him into building a better one.

Yet her flower wagon was beautiful and amazing. It awed her so much she didn't bat an eye when Zack led her to the train station, saying they should test out the waters above plate to determine which area was more profitable. It didn't matter to Aerith one bit. As long as Zack was with her she couldn't be happier.

Arm-in-arm with him under the twilight sky, they were ironically the picture definition of lovers as they settled on the street corner in front of a theater playing _Loveless._ The sky didn't really bother her as long as she kept her head down and Zack close. Maybe it was because the hazy orange sunset hardly resembled the unending blue of the daytime sky. Maybe it was because she trusted Zack to keep her safe.

Or maybe Aerith was braver than she thought.

"Ooh, another customer!" Zack's fact lit up as his eyes locked onto a businessman standing away from the crowded sidewalk, likely waiting for a ride.

Aerith was barely given time to pluck a bouquet out her wagon before Zack was dragging her along to corner the man. She didn't speak as Zack haggled the guy over the cost, content to simply drink in the sight of her Zack while she still could. Soon he needed to return to the Shinra Building lurking in the distance, a priority mission stealing him away from her for a while. She would have asked where he was going, but knew it was confidential and Zack was loyal to her, but he was loyal to Shinra as well.

The businessman was beginning to look annoyed by Zack's refusing to take no for an answer, so Aerith took her chance. She leaned forward, pushing the bouquet beneath the man's nose and displaying a polite smile. "Are you sure there isn't a special someone you want to give this to, mister? It sure would make my day if a handsome guy gave me a bouquet." She giggled, ducking her head as if to hide a blush.

The man stared at her speechless. Zack gawked at her. Aerith kept smiling.

Seconds later the man walked briskly across the street, her bouquet in hand. Meanwhile Aerith tucked gil away in her little money pouch and Zack continued to gape next to the flower wagon. She smiled and pecked the corner of his mouth, jolting him to awareness. "Now the score is two to one, I'm in the lead."

Zack blinked twice before he whined. "But Aerith, that's cheating! You used your cuteness to charm that man outta his gil."

Aerith giggled and raised a brow. "How is that any different from you hounding people until they buy?"

Zack puffed out his chest and pointed his thumb towards himself. "Bartering takes skill." His fingers drew an invisible circle around her body. "That beauty is all natural."

Aerith smirked. "How would you know?"

Zack blanched, shock and horror warring for dominance on his face until she burst out laughing and he scowled. "Don't scare me like that!"

Her laughs petered out, and taking pity on him, she cupped his cheek. "Okay, if you think I have an unfair advantage, let me even the playing field." She angled his head down and slipped the stems of a pink, white, violet, and yellow daffodil into his hair. The bundle of flowers contrasted his dark hair like the brightest stars in the night sky, but the grin on his face matched their radiance.

"So I'm cute and pretty, huh?" Zack crossed his arms as she released him. "I don't know, Aerith. Maybe I'm the one with the unfair advantage now."

Aerith stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms. "You wish."

A chuckle erupted from Zack until he was outright laughing and soon she was too. Nearby people eyed them like they were insane, but they were together and that was all that mattered.

They sold two more flowers and a bouquet after that, tying their scores, but then Zack admitted his mission couldn't wait. She wasn't too bothered by his leaving once he walked her to the train. She was used to him disappearing on assignments. Just since he returned to Midgar he visited her practically every day and she was spoiled by all the attention. Now it felt kind of wrong waving him goodbye through the train window until he was little more than a speck fading in the twilight.

Strolling her wagon through Sector 5, Aerith comforted herself with the fact Cloud was still in Midgar, though his presence was as precarious as Zack's and he could be called away any second.

Her head bowed as she entered the church and her movements were sluggish as she left the wagon by the garden and took a seat in the front pew.

The place was quiet, empty, abandoned. The silence was daunting, emphasizing the dreariness permeating the air. Even her garden's aroma failed to sweeten the sour stench, and her money pouch sat like a lump of coal in her lap. Her phone rang beside her, but she was in no mood for talking so ignored it.

However, when she sensed a familiar presence manifest behind her, Aerith forced herself to perk up and pat the bench in invitation. She wasn't certain the Turk would accept until he silently seated himself beside her.

"Good afternoon, Tseng." False cheer littered her tone, which he likely saw through.

"I believe 'goodnight' better fits the hour."

Aerith tried to laugh, but every breath tasted like ash and laughter required too much of it, so she settled for smiling instead. "That's true. I guess time flies when you're having fun." She sighed, ignoring her beeping PHS and fiddling with her money pouch.

_"Midgar's full of flowers, your wallet's full of money!"_ Zack's voice cheered so loud and clear she could have sworn he was right beside her, but there was only Tseng.

It seemed she was going to miss Zack more than she expected. Maybe because the Planet's messages and vision made it feel like their time together was fleeting. Her time with Zack had an expiration date and every tick of the clock brought her closer to the feeling he would never return. Every time he walked away the chance to show him love and be loved in return slipped through her fingers, lost to the wind.

_"I have twenty-three tiny wishes... I put them all together into one: I'd like to spend more time with you."_

Did he know what she meant when she said that? How dearly she cared for him? Already she longed for his safe return when he probably yet to leave Midgar.

If only Aerith did more to express the depth of her feelings. If she didn't then he might lie on that cliff one day thinking of her and feeling little more than regret. While under the rain Aerith would mourn the lost opportunity, their averted happy ending.

Her phone vibrated, but she was busy saying, "I've felt different lately and I can't tell if it's because I'm getting older or it's something else." She turned to Tseng, whose gaze rested on her garden. "Maybe you've noticed. What do you think it is?"

Tseng closed his eyes, thinking, then said, "That depends on what you've been feeling." He opened them and his brown briefly connected with her green before flicking away.

Aerith tapped her chin. "It's hard to describe. They aren't bad feelings, just strange." She looked down to her feet. "Maybe it's something I need to sort out on my own."

"When it comes to matters of the heart, I believe that is what most people do."

Aerith's lips pursed. It almost sounded like Tseng knew something she didn't. Sure, there were lots of things Tseng was privy to which she was ignorant of. His words, however, sounded like he was trying to convey something personal to her. Whatever it was, Aerith decided not to address it since what little talking she done left her exhausted.

"I should be getting home." Aerith stood and Tseng did the same while she put her money pouch away and grabbed her phone.

It rang, startling her as it vibrated in her hand, and she remembered all the calls she ignored. Someone was being oddly persistent, and curious, she flipped it open to answer.

"Aerith!"

The anguished gasp alarmed her and Tseng looked to her with concern as she asked, "Cloud? What's wrong?"

"I've been trying to call you for _twenty_ minutes, but you wouldn't pick up and I thought something was wrong, but I need you because I don't know what to-"

"Slow down," she begged, eyes wide and heart pounding. "Tell me what's wrong."

"It's Zack." A viselike grip caught her heart. "We're being sent to Nibelheim." The phone clattered to the floor, a numbness spread from her fingers down to her toes, and the Planet said one thing.

Run.

So Aerith did. She ran down the aisle, ignoring Tseng's call, and barged out the door. She didn't stop for anything, not the crowds or the Market or her body begging for air. Even when she clipped her shoulder turning a corner, she kept going until she reached the train and hurtled in.

Her foot tapped a mile a minute as other people boarded while her thoughts collided and warped as they scraped against each other. Nibelheim, Nibelheim, Zack was going to Nibelheim, and he was going to die. Die, die an inevitable death unless she reached him now and got him to stay. But where was he? Where was Zack leaving from? How was he leaving? By helicopter? Truck? Plane?

"Aerith." Tseng stood in front of her, having just boarded or there all along. She didn't know, didn't care, not when Zack's life was at stake. "There's a very distraught young man asking for you." He held her phone out to her and she snatched it eagerly, barely remembering to thank him as she placed it against her ear.

"Cloud, I'm coming." Her voice was even and strong, worlds different from how she felt.

"A-Aerith?" Cloud's voice was quiet and shaky, like he was on verge of tears and trying to be discreet about it. "They're almost done packing the caravan. We're going to leave any minute and I can't s-stop him. I'm j-just an infantryman."

"It's okay, Cloud." She softened her tone, covering up her anxiety for his sake. "I know you did your best and I'm sorry I didn't pick up earlier." Her shame seared her from the inside out, for it would be all her fault if Zack died, until she noticed the train slowing. "I'm almost above plate. Can you tell me where you are?"

Cloud released a shuddering breath, composing himself before saying, "We're at the Shinra Building, in the garage by the highway."

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

The train stopped and she forced her way to the front, flanked by Tseng, which was probably the only reason people made room for her.

"Please," Cloud's voice cracked. "Hurry."

Aerith scowled in determination, snapping close the phone and marching out the second the doors parted.

"Would you like an escort?" Tseng asked while matching her stride, and she paused. She didn't know what to say. Zack needed her and a vehicle would be faster, but Tseng would ask questions she couldn't answer.

She was still weighing her options when a black car with tinted windows pulled up beside her, and pressured by the sight, she said, "Yes."

Tseng opened the back door for her and she stepped into the dark interior, leather chair freezing her bare arms as she leaned back. Up front a familiar bald-headed Turk was in the driver seat while Tseng slid into the passenger. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but when he angled his head back she sensed him looking at her in expectation.

"The Shinra Building garage where the Nibelheim group is departing."

Aerith stiffened, chilled to the bone as the car rejoined traffic. Tseng knew what she was doing and knew Nibelheim was the reason for her actions, otherwise, he wouldn't have called it by name.

He wanted her to know he knew.

She wondered if he overheard Cloud and her the day they met, if her phone was tapped, or if Tseng was just that good and put it together himself. It wasn't even clear how much the Turk understood, but she hoped he had nothing substantial. It would make it easier when the inevitable confrontation between them occurred if Aerith held more cards than him. Although, that might not help much when his poker face beat hers by miles.

"I called so you don't have to worry about them leaving before we arrive." Tseng spoke without looking back, but she nodded as he was probably observing her in the rearview mirror. Even if he wasn't it felt like everyone was watching her.

She sat in a Shinra-owned vehicle driving to Shinra Headquarters, surrounded by Turks, and it made her sick. It was too much like her worst nightmare, the Turks finally taking her in to be locked away forever. As if she was some object to be shipped and delivered, not even human.

A paranoid part of her screamed this was all a trap, but then the car stopped in front of a caravan where three infantrymen sat on crates inside. Her eyes darted around the parking garage until she spotted raven hair bobbing up and down as Zack performed squats beside the van.

Aerith threw open the door and pulled out a tiny velvet box as she ran to him.

"Hey, Tseng, what's with the hold up?" Zack ceased his squatting to greet the Turk stepping out the car, not seeing her until he picked up movement in his peripheral. "Wha- Aerith?!" He recoiled while the silver-haired man behind him remained unfazed, but then she used both hands to present the velvet box to Zack and his catlike eyes narrowed.

"Zack Fair." She smiled wide, cheeks flaming and legs wobbling. "Will you marry me?" Her thumb snapped open the box to reveal a silver wedding band inside.

Zack choked, the silver-haired man's eyes widened, and all three of the infantrymen leaned out the caravan to gape at her. Tseng, however, looked away while somewhere outside the rain started to pour.


	3. Chapter 3

Aerith flitted between the clothing racks, fingers skimming over outfits and dress fluttering as she circled them. She stopped when silk slid against her thumb and looked down to see a violet gown. Tugging it out, she spread the piece over her torso and examined the color against her complexion, then turned to Cloud who stood by the shelves in the back of the boutique. He was fidgeting, eyes darting around like he didn't know where to look until she waved and he noticed her.

"What about this one?" She pulled the gown out a little further.

His eyes scanned over the dress and his mouth twisted into a thoughtful frown. "It's nice," he said without enthusiasm.

"Cloud," she pouted. "You can tell me if it doesn't look good on me."

"It's not that." He looked away as the beginnings of a blush colored his cheeks. "I just think blue looks better on her- On girls!" He hastily corrected.

"Oh." Aerith's eyes glinted and she dropped the gown to clasp her hands over her chest, smiling wide. "Why didn't you tell me you have a girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?!" Cloud recoiled. "Where'd that come from?!"

"It sounds like you have a specific dress in mind." Her smile sharpened. "Worn by a specific girl."

Cloud rubbed the back of his head, bashful. "Well, yes, this girl from my hometown was wearin-"

"Ooh, it's a childhood sweetheart!" Aerith gushed and his eyes grew impossibly large.

"No, Tifa isn't-" He noticed the mischievous sparkle in the flower girl's eyes and suddenly slumped, defeated. "Forget I said anything." He despaired, knowing it was futile.

Aerith giggled. "Sorry," she said completely unapologetic, and he sighed.

"So," she turned to the clothing rack. "What type of dress was this Tifa wearing?" She ran her hand down a shiny, royal blue gown and tugged it out by its short sleeve. "Was it like this?"

Cloud, still a bit red, shook his head. "No, it wasn't so extravagant."

Aerith let the sleeve drop and moved on to a peach pink sundress. "It must have been very pretty if you remember it so well." She checked the dress' price tag.

"Actually," Cloud inclined his head towards the ceiling, eyes glazing over as the memory filled his brain. "It wasn't the dress." Aerith froze while his voice ebbed into a gentle whisper. "It's what she said and my promise to her." He smiled, fond and wistful, while the ceiling morphed into a dark blue sky. Stars swirled into twinkling clusters of light and blended into the blue like the paint strokes of an artist impassioned. "Everything about that night, the way she looked, the sound of her voice, is with me always."

His ice blue eyes warmed into a pastel hue, and Aerith hesitated, but soon asked, "Do you think Zack would take a promise as seriously as you have?"

Cloud swiveled around, surprised she needed to ask. "Of course, Zack cares a lot about his SOLDIER honor." He smiled softly. "And he cares a lot about you, so he'd definitely honor any promise he made to you."

Aerith hummed, turning to a glittery red dress that fanned out at the bottom, though she stared straight through it. "So if I asked him to stay-" She sighed, head bowing. "No, I...I couldn't take that away from him. He loves his job."

Cloud watched her expression crumple, sympathy tugging down his lips before he walked over and set his hand on her shoulder. "There are other things you could ask him." He bit his cheek. "Like, um, maybe make him promise he'll always come back to you."

Her eyes watered and his heart ached as she wiped away a lone tear rolling down her cheek. "That's not enough. You saw the vision." Cloud tensed as the phantom sensation of rain pelted his face and his own scream echoed in his head.

"Even if Zack wants to come back, he might end up in a situation where he can't return to me." She wilted, tone hollow.

Cloud shoved his own worries aside and squeezed her shoulder. "Then maybe you should give him a reason to accept safer assignments, stay closer to Midgar. A First like him doesn't have to accept every mission tossed his way, so if he really wanted to, he could only accept assignments around Midgar."

"Really?" Aerith cocked her head, interest lighting up her features. "So if you were a First, what could your girlfriend do to keep you close?"

Cloud blushed for the fourth time today and hated his pale skin for making his embarrassment so evident. "Um, I guess I couldn't leave if..." He stared at Aerith for a moment and imagined her hair darker, worn long and loose. Soon Tifa's wine red eyes bored into his while her glossy lips murmured a plea for him to stay.

He blurted the one thing on his mind. "I'd marry her."

Aerith blinked twice, eyes doubling in size, and it took him a second to realize why. He gasped, face hot as an oven, and wanted to hit himself for suggesting something so insane.

However, before he could correct himself, Aerith's expression turned thoughtful. "That could work."

"What?!" Cloud's jaw hit the floor.

Aerith paid him no mind as she tapped the corner of her lips. "There's a jewelry shop a couple sectors over. The shop owner likes my mom, so maybe he'd give me a discount."

"Are you serious?" Cloud got in her face, unable to control his incredulity because wasn't this going too far? Marriage was a _serious_ commitment, at least it was in Nibelheim. Divorce was practically unheard of there and was certainly frowned upon, which was why marriage typically bound people together for life. Zack and Aerith may care for each other now, but was it really the type of love that could last decades into the future?

"I know," she said as if reading his mind. "I've never given marriage much thought to be honest, and when I did, I always pictured myself older." Her face grew grim. "But I don't think we have time for 'older', I don't think Zack has much time left." She stood tall while her hands balled at her sides, and he was silenced by her sheer force of will.

Then just as suddenly her face smoothed out and she grinned. "But that's only an idea." She turned back to the red dress and pulled it out over her body. "And whatever I chose to do, wearing a pretty dress couldn't hurt, right?" She winked and he didn't know what to make of her. Serious one second, teasing the next, and each emotion as genuine as the former. Yesterday, he thought it a girl thing. Today he sat beside Zack on a couch in the Shinra Building hallway, gobsmacked expression frozen on the First's face, and realized how wrong he was.

His PHS chimed and he wasn't surprised to see Aerith sent:_ Is he okay? Has he woken up?_

He quickly replied: _Yes, he woke up a few minutes ago._

Cloud didn't mention how Zack awakened wondering how he fainted, and upon being reminded of the proposal, entered his current stupor. Mute, unblinking, still as a statue and white as a sheet, Zack was anything but okay.

_I think you broke him. _Was what he wanted to send, however, Aerith had looked so worried when Zack staggered back. She looked so small and sad as General Sephiroth and him carried her unconscious boyfriend inside, believing he would recuperate better on a couch opposed to the hardwood floor of the caravan.

Cloud felt guilty as well for having given Aerith the idea and he was about to type an apology when a whiff of fire and ash tickled his nose. He looked up from his phone expecting to see smoke only to find General Sephiroth eyeing him from the opposing wall that he was leaning against. Cloud regretted leaving his helmet in the caravan as those catlike eyes locked onto his and he ducked swiftly, hoping his hero would look away.

Sephiroth was his idol and he couldn't bear the thought of actually interacting with the man. If he did he would make a fool of himself and the general would always remember him as that weird infantryman who stuttered too much. Simply imagining this made Cloud's legs tremble and his heart gallop, which meant the scenario actually playing out would probably kill him.

"How did I miss this?"

The harsh exhale made Cloud and Sephiroth turn to Zack as he grasped the sides of his head like he was going to tear his hair out. Cloud bit his lip, uncertain the First even wanted a response, and strangely enough Sephiroth seemed equally indecisive.

The general stood up from the wall and leveled a steely-eyed look upon Zack, but for a second his brow wrinkled like he was either confused or concerned. The sight was one Cloud doubted he was ever meant to see. It didn't lessen his hero in his eyes like it might do to some, but for a moment Sephiroth looked human and that was wrong. Humans were imperfect, made mistakes, and Sephiroth was perfect in every way, always.

"All those signs..." Zack muttered quieter than Cloud ever heard him while his hands shook, mussing his raven hair and giving him a disheveled appearance. "Why did I ignore them?" His eyes dimmed like the light switch behind them was flicked off and once his hands fell to his sides, the First simply looked lost.

Cloud hadn't expected this. The surprise and speechlessness, sure, but Zack being so at war with himself threw him for a loop. Maybe that was why he asked, "Don't you love her?"

The question hit the air like thunder cracked across the sky and he regretted it when Zack's wild-eyed gaze swung his way.

"Yes!" Zack sprung to his feet so fast he blurred and Cloud shrunk, but the First merely began pacing back and forth in front of him. "But marriage-" He choked and abruptly dropped onto the couch, the force jostling Cloud somewhat. "Oh, Gaia." He groaned, back to clawing at his hair until his spikes stuck up so haphazardly they resembled his former hair style.

"I didn't know we were _this_ serious. She never said anything." He slumped forward and his face fell in his hands. Cloud bit his tongue to keep from apologizing because it was his fault, his idea putting his friend through such turmoil. "I mean it's a _huge_ step and I...I don't think I'm ready." He sounded ashamed like he wanted to be ready, but found himself lacking.

"Perhaps we are not the ones you should be telling this to."

Cloud inwardly hyperventilated as Sephiroth indirectly referenced him because how many people could say the great general even knew they existed?

Zack's low groan made him flick a worried look to his friend as the First said, "I can't do that, Seph." Zack raised his head, clearly distraught. "She'll take it the wrong way and cry and I've never even seen her cry, but I just know it'd be awful."

Cloud had seen her cry and it was very awful, but he also seen Aerith be brave and strong. If she did cry over Zack's words, it wouldn't be from hurt feelings, it would be from the grief of knowing she failed to save Zack. If Cloud didn't say something, he too would be grieving his friend's death soon and that was _not_ an option.

"You should tell her." Cloud forced out, lowering his gaze when Zack's wide, moist eyes landed on him. "If she feels the same way about you that you feel about her, she wants to hear what you have to say." His voice trembled as he sensed Sephiroth staring and the stench of smoke tickled his nose again, yet he pressed on. "Even if it's not the answer she wants, if she loves you," he looked up and steeled himself when he saw Zack hanging off his every word. "She will respect your wishes."

He didn't dare breathe as the metaphorical spotlight fell on him, a position he never enjoyed being in, yet he wasn't going to let Zack die or leave Aerith miserable. They were just about his only friends in this world and he would do his best to support them like they had supported him.

Zack was still staring at him, awe along with an indecipherable emotion etched into his face, and Cloud wondered if he was shocked by his words or simply thought him an idiot. It wasn't like Cloud was an expert on romantic entanglements. He simply said what sounded right based on what he seen of Aerith and his own personal principals.

Zack shoved his face into his hands and Cloud worried he only upset him more until his shoulders shook and soft chuckles rumbled out of him. Cloud was confused, then bristled as he understood Zack was laughing at him. It hurt because he'd only been trying to help.

"I can't believe I've been such an idiot." Cloud's anger was swapped for confusion as Zack lifted his hands away and sent him a small, but luminous grin. "You're right, both of you." The First glanced at Sephiroth and the general nodded while Zack stood. "No matter what, everything's going to turn out fine." He nodded to himself, but Cloud frowned at his phrasing. It was vague enough he wasn't sure whether to congratulate Zack on the upcoming marriage or message Aerith about the failed attempt.

Zack turned to Sephiroth. "I know it's a priority mission, but I need a couple more hours in Midgar. That okay?"

The general didn't react for a second, but then a smirk curved his lips. "Return here by midnight. Arrive any later and it goes on your permanent record." His tone was severe, but from the way Zack beamed Cloud figured it was an inside joke.

Wow, would he too have such amazing companionship with the great Sephiroth once he made SOLDIER?

Cloud buried the thought, worried the general would notice his starstruck expression until Zack, usual bounce in his step, bent over to ruffle his hair. "Thanks, Spiky. I really needed that reminder."

Normally Cloud would brush him off, especially since Sephiroth was watching Zack treat him like a little kid and it was embarrassing, but there was something fragile in Zack's tone, as if he truly felt indebted to him. Therefore Cloud endured, even as his nose wrinkled in displeasure, though maybe that was from the faint scent of smoke in the air. 

* * *

The drive home was a silent and somber affair. Neither Turk nor flower girl uttered a word as they exited the vehicle. Aerith didn't even spare him a glance as they walked to the train station, Tseng right on her heels. They sat on opposite sides of the train car, stared out their respective windows, and only once they arrived in the slums did they gravitate towards each other.

Still it was quiet, only the light scuffle of shoes behind her proving she had company, until she halted in the middle of the playground and said, "I'm sorry."

Not wanting to give him a chance to seize control of the conversation or leave room for misunderstandings, she added. "I'm sorry I deceived you. I didn't want to mislead you."

She wrung her hands and hoped he believed her sincerity although she admitted to earlier deceit. If he didn't, this conversation would be much more difficult than it needed to be and there may never be trust between them again. Even if she deserved it, her heart would crack knowing Tseng would never trust her again. They weren't friends, but she known him longer than she known most and while there was always a bit of friction between her and the Turks, there were some things she trusted him with implicitly. Their relationship and the mutual respect between them were valuable to her, and imagining them gone grieved her.

"I really did want to buy a dress." Her voice was fraught with sorrow. "But once I went shopping I found myself buying a little something more." She smiled, though it was a shallow thing.

"So you decided to buy a wedding band to make it official." Tseng's voice was flatter than usual, but without seeing his face she couldn't discern his true feelings. "What prompted this endeavor?"

Aerith wondered if Tseng knew exactly why she proposed to Zack and was testing her honesty or he was genuinely uncertain.

Assuming he only saw her purchase the ring and overheard some of the conversation in the boutique, she held her hands back and said, "A friend of mines reminded me how dangerous the SOLDIER lifestyle is...how dangerous it is for Zack. It's silly, but that got me thinking my time with him might be shorter than I thought and I don't want to end up with regrets." She looked over her shoulder, eyes misty. Tseng turned aside, lips a line though his stance was casual. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, never could really, but she had a knack for discerning emotions, which was why it worried her she couldn't read his now.

"Did this friend mention a particular location that poses a danger for SOLDIERs?"

Aerith shrugged, turning frontwards. "Some place called Nibelheim. They said it would be very dangerous for someone like Zack to go there."

"Did they specify what type of danger awaits him there?"

"No," she exhaled and massaged her temples in frustration. "That's why I needed someone to tell me about Nibelheim. I thought together we could uncover the threat, but Cloud couldn't figure it out either."

Tseng hummed, sounding closer. "Nibelheim would not have a mako reactor if the town contained a threat capable of destroying the reactor. Shinra prefers not to waste money on unprofitable ventures."

A breeze blew past and feeling the night chill, Aerith rubbed her arms. "Some threats can't be seen until it's too late."

"Even so," Tseng said close enough for her to be warmed by his body heat. "There are precautions that can be taken to avoid any danger."

She scowled, recognizing the light chastisement for what it was. Tone pleasant, but words heavy enough to send a message, she asked, "If I requested your help would you have given it no questions asked?" It was meant to be snippy, but her desperation eclipsed all traces of vexation. "And even with your help will it make a difference?" Her head bowed, shadowing her broken expression. "What if we're all fated to live and die one way? Even knowing how it ends, can one really defy destiny?" Her teeth clacked together and a couple of tears trickled down her face.

Thoughts of fate and destiny had plagued her ever since the Planet's second message. She told herself Zack could be saved yet in her heart believed his death inevitable. It was the reason she was more scared than ever, the reason her paranoia flared up so often these days.

Zack's death felt so tangible it was as if it already happened. Seeing him smile, hearing his laugh, and being held in his arms, all felt like a novelty. It was like she was trapped in a beautiful dream yet a part of her knew she could wake up any second.

Maybe she was wrong, and her doubts merely stemmed from the Planet's urgent tone and witnessing that dreadful vision... But if so, why was she acting like this?

Determined to make Zack happy and keep him close to the extent of even proposing marriage. Aerith wasn't acting like someone who had faith everything would be okay. She was acting like a terrified young woman who loved a young man very deeply, but knew their love was doomed to end in tragedy. No marriage, no growing old together, no future for them.

"Aerith."

She wiped away her tears and leaned sideways until her shoulder touched Tseng's arm. "I'm sorry." She didn't know what she was apologizing for, there was simply nothing else to say.

"Don't be." Tseng's face was blank as ever, but his fingers brushed against hers as he moved away. "And don't worry. I will take care of things."

Aerith's watery smile went unnoticed as Tseng began walking away. "I know you will," she wanted to tell him, yet in reality said, "I know you'll try."

Tseng was too far off to hear as he descended into the darkness of night.

* * *

Aerith went home to let her mother know she was alive and well. Her mom fussed over her while she reheated dinner until Aerith explained she been with Zack and the older woman calmed.

"Just remember to call next time. You know I worry, dear."

She sighed while Aerith sat at the dinner table, reheated spaghetti on a plate before her and fork in hand. "You don't have to worry about it happening again anytime soon. Zack is leaving tonight and won't be back for a while."

"Ah." Her mother's lips stretched into a wistful smile. "I remember what it was like having my husband leave for such long stretches of time. He only got leave up to a week, but we always made the most of our time together too."

Aerith nearly dropped her fork, reheated pasta suddenly as appealing as a can of worms. Her mom's husband had been a soldier like Zack and Aerith sensed his death like her future self sensed Zack's death. The parallels between she and her mom were never so stark till now, but the elder Gainsborough remained oblivious as Aerith choked down half of the slimy noodles prior to claiming she was full. Then she hurried upstairs, changed into her new red dress as well as gathered a few items, and waited for soft snores to leave her mother's bedroom before sneaking out the house.

Opening the church doors with a flashlight in hand, as it was fairly dark in this area at night, she was surprised by the faintly glowing object in front of the flowerbed. Flicking off her now useless flashlight as she stepped inside, she frowned at the small lamp sitting in the middle of the aisle and started upon spotting a slouched figure in the pew beside it. She had expected Zack to come, but certainly not so soon.

Aerith tentatively walked up to him, but was shocked to find Cloud was the slumbering individual. Head tilted to the side like he was looking back at the door when he nodded off, his neck would get sore if she left him like this, which was why she didn't feel bad shaking his shoulder until bleary, blue eyes opened.

"Huh, Aerith?" Cloud slurred, sitting up and scrubbing his face very much like a young child whose nap was interrupted.

She grinned and took a seat beside him, setting her flashlight aside. "Were you waiting for me? You could have just called and I'd have come earlier."

Cloud, appearing much more alert, shook his head and she noticed yellow petals peeking out his scarf with the motion. No doubt they belonged to the lily she given him yesterday and it warmed her heart to see he truly valued her gift.

"I know, but I thought you might have gone to bed and didn't want to wake you." His voice hushed as his gaze fell to the floor. "And I, uh, wanted to see you."

Aerith giggled. "Oh, Cloud, are you trying to make your girlfriend jealous?"

He blinked. "What? No, she's not- You know what I meant." He groused, crossing his arms while she laughed behind her hand.

"I'm sorry." Her laughter tampered off, and her lips drew to a line as she peered ahead into the darkness. "It's because you and Zack are still going to Nibelheim, right?"

Cloud nodded, arms dropping and hands arching atop his knees. "We leave at midnight, and I don't think there's anything we can do to stop Zack from going." His throat constricted as he whispered. "I'm scared." His mouth snapped close like he hadn't meant to say that and didn't want to risk exposing more of himself.

Aerith's lips curved down as the boy hunched his shoulders, balling himself up to make for a smaller target, and it saddened her to witness such self-defense instinct. Something told her Cloud was used to fending for himself, to getting into fights he couldn't win, and maybe this self-defense technique developed prior to him joining Shinra.

The poor boy wasn't used to having people he could rely on. However, Aerith was his friend now so she reached over and took his hands in hers. She held them until they relaxed and lied flat in her palms, then raised one arm and curled it around his neck. He didn't struggle as she brought his head down to her shoulder and said, "It's okay. I'm scared too, but together we can save Zack."

He made a noise between a sob and a whimper so she tightened her hold and shushed him. "The Planet wouldn't have contacted us if it didn't think we were capable of saving him, so don't worry, okay?" Cloud trembled beneath her arm and she ran her fingers through his hair until he stilled.

Pulling back, she pretended not to notice he was blinking away tears as he whispered. "Thank you."

She beamed. "Anytime," she said before remembering the objects she brought, her pencil and journal, and swiftly set them on her lap. Cloud squinted at the items so she scooted closer to him until the lamp illuminated them.

"I recorded all the information the Planet sent us in this journal. I was hoping we could go over some things before you left."

"Oh!" Cloud smacked his forehead. "I forgot to tell you what I learned about the Shinra Mansion."

"That's alright." She flipped through a couple of pages and stopped on a sheet labeled _Nibelheim_. "That was one of the things I planned to talk about anyway." She poised her pencil over it and said, "Go on."

Cloud sighed. "It's not much. Just learned there aren't any records that talk about what Shinra was using it for. Someone suggested that's because Shinra is covering up something big there, but I think it's a false lead. Shinra hasn't used the mansion for years and I doubt they would abandon it for so long if something important was there."

Aerith studied him for a moment before asking, "Could you check when you get there?"

His eyebrows shot up. "You mean investigate the Shinra Mansion in person?" Her head bobbed and Cloud ran a hand through his bangs. "I guess, if I find the time I can take a look around."

"Great." Aerith clapped her hands. "You can message me the results."

Cloud winced. "I can try, but Nibelheim doesn't have the best reception so I'm not sure I'll be able to reach you."

Her heart clenched and knuckles turned white around the notebook. She banked on being able to contact Zack and Cloud during their mission, confident she could stay in the loop via PHS and guide them to safety if things went south. Without that avenue of communication, Aerith would be in the dark until they returned and if anything went wrong she wouldn't know till it was too late.

Something must have shown on her face because Cloud quickly assured. "But I'll try to call you every day and you can do the same. Together I'm sure we'll catch each other eventually." She couldn't muster a verbal agreement, so simply nodded. "Now what else did you want to discuss?"

"The Turks were getting suspicious of us." Cloud's eyes widened so she hurried on. "But I've convinced them Zack was threatened and an attempt on his life will occur at Nibelheim." At least Tseng seemed to believe that if she read the overtones of their earlier conversation correctly. "I'm not sure what they'll do about it, but I think this will help your mission run smoother."

Cloud looked surprised, yet soon was glowering at the floor. "But will it be enough to save Zack? We don't even know what's going to kill him." His hands curled into fists.

"That's exactly why we need to figure it out now." The fight went out of him at her fierce declaration while she flipped to a page titled _Theories_. "I think we should go through this by analyzing everything the Planet told us in the order it was sent, so let's start with the Planet's first message."

"The one that told you Zack was going to die?"

She grimaced. "Yes, that one was pretty straight-forward so I don't think there is anything to analyze there." She waited for Cloud to agree then said, "Moving on to the second message, I'm not exactly sure what to make of it."

"It doesn't have to be _him_." Cloud repeated, turning up to stare at the ceiling. "I think the Planet is saying there could be a trade. Like Zack doesn't have to die, but we have to give it something in return if he doesn't." He looked down and bit his lip like he expected her to call him stupid, yet Aerith hummed in agreement.

"Yes, I got that feeling too." She jotted down their idea on the page. "But what could the Planet want from us?"

"Maybe his life for..." A horrified look came over Cloud. "Another life?"

She gasped, hands jumping over her heart. "Someone has to die in Zack's place?"

Cloud cringed, quickly waving his hands. "Not that we'd purposely sacrifice someone!" His tone was laced with disgust. "We're not even sure that's what the Planet wants, and if it is we don't know the specifics. It might only accept a certain person's life or maybe anybody's would do."

Aerith sighed in relief, lowering her hands. "Okay, I guess there isn't much we can do with this message either, but I'm sure it will make sense soon."

She ignored the voice in her head screaming that time was running out, soon Zack would die and any insight about the second message would be meaningless then. "Let's discuss the third one."

Cloud looked weary. "We've kinda already discussed this, and I'm not sure what else we can talk about. I can't think of anything back home powerful enough to hurt Zack, especially when General Sephiroth will be with us." He ignored the putrid stench of blood and ash that suddenly assaulted his nose.

"What if we're looking at this from the wrong angle?" Aerith tapped her pencil against the page while she brainstormed. "Maybe it's not what is at Nibelheim, but something _foreign_ coming to Nibelheim that will become a threat."

Cloud's brow furrowed. "That makes sense, but also opens a lot of possibilities. Anything could show up that we aren't expecting." He sighed and leaned forward to rub the back of his neck. "Another dead end, huh?"

"Not necessarily." She jotted down a few of the points they brought up while Cloud observed her curiously. "We might not be able to talk while you're at Nibelheim and there's no way Shinra will let me travel with you, but you'll be there." Her face hardened and he sat up. "You can investigate the Shinra Mansion, and whether you find anything or not, you will be on your guard." Her eyes turned downcast as she begged. "_Please_ watch over Zack for me."

Cloud stared at her solemnly. "I will."

Aerith smiled, about to say more when they both heard the distinct clatter of boots coming up the church steps. "Zack," she gasped while Cloud paled and they both shot to their feet.

"Here." She shoved the flashlight as well as her notebook into his hands and pointed towards the back of the church. "Take the staircase back there and you can exit from the roof."

Cloud's eyes leapt from the back to her. "We still need to discus-"

"I'll message you later!" She whisper-shouted, pushing him towards the garden right as the door creaked open. Cloud stumbled, but quickly regained his footing and launched himself behind a pillar as the SOLDIER stepped in.

Aerith forced herself to relax, keeping her hands linked in front while footsteps clomped down the aisle. It would be lying to say she wasn't nervous when those boots halted half a foot behind her, yet she remained silent. However, Zack did the same and she wondered if he was deciding the best way to reject her proposal. Considering his earlier response was to faint, she was under no illusion her proposal would actually be accepted. Rather Zack was debating how to let her down gently, maybe wondering how to deal with her tears. Or was he expecting her to shout? Was he bracing for both?

A light hand descended on her hip and gingerly pinched the dress' sparkly fabric. "Hm, is the light playing tricks on my eyes? 'Cause this doesn't look pink to me." Zack chuckled and Aerith lit up, worries flying away.

"No," she giggled. "But I only promised to wear pink when we meet up for _dates_ so unless you have a romantic evening planned..." She noticed a blond spike poking out behind the pillar and rushed to conceal Cloud's hiding spot by spreading her arms out and performing a spin. Her ruby dress flared out in the orange glow of the lamp and the colors merged until it seemed Aerith twirled among flames while her dress glitter sparkled like fireflies caught in the wind.

She stopped once Cloud, ducked low, successfully scurried towards the back, and grinned toothily at Zack's awed expression. "Not pink, but still pretty, right?"

"Yeah," Zack stammered, drinking in the sight of her slender shoulders, the bodice hugging her every curve and the ruby heels slimming her feet.

"Beautiful." His face melted into a dazed smile and he moved to embrace her, only to freeze and drop his arms. She frowned as his expression turned mournful.

"Aerith, I have to tell y-"

She seized his hand and nodded towards the door. "Let's go above plate. There's a place I want to show you." She darted around the lamp and when he didn't budge, gave him a tug. Zack's mouth opened like he was going to protest, but her eyes implored him and well, he had over an hour before he needed to report to HQ so humoring her couldn't hurt.

He sighed. "Okay."

She sent him a reassuring grin, then led him up the aisle and out the door.

They stepped out side-by-side, however, Aerith tottered on the last step so he took the lead since his enhanced eyesight was faring better than hers in the poorly lit area. Then they took to the streets in silence, walking past a row of houses, all of them devoid of occupants and thus shedding no light on their path, though Aerith didn't mind. She didn't want Zack to notice her pensive frown nor the fear growing on her face.

It was time for the truth. Her heritage was going to be revealed to him one way or another, she had always known, for as much as she liked to pretend otherwise Shinra wasn't going to leave her be forever and it would be best if it came from her. She doubted Zack would be pleased to learn of it _after_ Shinra captured her. If he did, it could drive a wedge between him and the Company. She had wanted to run this by Cloud before Zack came in because ever since she saw that vision, she knew it was her fault Zack died.

There was no solid evidence, but upon reviewing the vision in her head, she recognized the armor and weapons scattered across the cliffside. She had seen that equipment worn by infantrymen and SOLDIERs patrolling Midgar, which led her to believe by the time of the vision Shinra fought and lost a battle..._against_ Zack.

There was nobody left except him and Cloud on that cliff. No transports or medics waiting to help those injured in battle, but rather it seemed they had been abandoned, left to die. It was possible they were simply the last ones standing so no one else was around to help them, but Zack's dying words implied otherwise.

_"For the both of us..."_

Zack clearly stated his reasons for fighting to be for Cloud and himself, not for Shinra or the safety of Midgar as one would expect a soldier fighting in say the Wutai War would have said. No, Zack's reasons were _personal_. He fought and died for people he cared about and Aerith had a feeling she was one of those people.

Perhaps by the time of the vision Zack learned of her capture and put up a fight to get her back because while he was loyal to the company, his faith in Shinra been shaken ever since the day he showed up crying in the church and seeking her comfort. Therefore it was plausible if it came down to it, Zack would choose her over Shinra. His loyalty was as boundless and vibrant as his heart and she always felt safe by his side, so Aerith didn't doubt he would try to save her.

Still, she didn't know how Cloud factored into Zack's death unless he joined Zack in the battle against Shinra. There was also the question of how Nibelheim was involved, but she done all she could to comprehend its importance. That would have to be left up for Cloud to uncover during his visit to Nibelheim while all she could do now was find the courage to admit something she denied most of her life.

They stopped before the sector gate, and as it opened, Aerith took a deep breath and squeezed Zack's hand. He turned to her in silent inquiry and she said, "It's funny how history repeats itself." There was a tremor in her voice that the mechanical whir of the gate opening masked.

"Really," Zack cocked his head and led her through the gateway. "How so?"

Aerith smiled bitterly, eyes trained on the road ahead. "My mother fell in love with a Shinra employee too. Although my father was a scientist, not a SOLDIER."

Zack's breath hitched likely because Aerith never brought up her family except to say her mom expected her home in time for dinner every day, but he needed to have the full picture now. Not only to prevent him from getting himself killed once Shinra captured her, but to ensure he understood their time was limited.

Prior to receiving the Planet's first message, she known her relationship with Zack would become complicated the moment the Turks turned her in to Shinra. It was why she planned to bring up her ancestry once she was surer of herself, more confident the reveal wouldn't freak Zack out. Yet there was no more time to spare. Ready or not, for the sake of Zack and their future, she needed to face her fears.

"Their relationship kinda started the same too. My mom always thought scientists were scary, especially Shinra scientists, but once she got to know my dad, she realized he was not scary at all." She giggled and Zack's eyes widened as he recalled her initial fear of SOLDIERs.

He always figured the fear stemmed from the general distrust most slum dwellers had of Shinra. However, if her father was a Shinra scientist, it couldn't have been that. Surely he would have cultivated her trust in Shinra.

A flickering red letter on an electronic shop sign illuminated their faces as they traversed the marketplace and she noticed Zack's eyes narrowing. He seemed to be searching for the meaning in what she said, but soon his shoulders drooped as he failed to put it together.

"That is a weird coincidence," he said finally, a spark of curiosity in his tone.

"Not really." Aerith shrugged as they left behind the Market's radius of light. "My mother was an Ancient like me so it makes sense we both feared Shinra." She said like one discussing the weather and Zack froze.

Aerith stopped too, but refused to look at him, instead sculpting an expression of neutrality on her face while staring ahead at the darkness. The Market behind them along with the late hour meant not a single soul was around to disrupt the tension building around them. Though when it became clear he wasn't go to say anything she peeked at him from the corner of her eye.

Zack's face was stony, eyes on the ground and hand clenching and unclenching repeatedly. She angled her head to catch full sight of his expression, bracing for the hurt she might see since she technically lied to him as well as for the shock, maybe even horror, from learning what she truly was. Not a human like him, a hybrid, little more than a rare specimen according to Shinra... The last of her kind, left alone the moment her mother took her last breath.

Yet none of those emotions appeared on Zack's face. He wasn't horrified or angry, not even shocked, but looked...guilty.

"How long have you known?" Gone was her nonchalance as her entire world rocked and she tethered on the edge of oblivion because Zack _knew_. He knew for who knows how long and never once brought it up. She couldn't help but wonder why unless Shinra told him and he was aware of her ancestry since the day they met, maybe Shinra even sent Zack to her, to get close to her like some spy-

"Aerith." Zack caught her other hand and his sky blue eyes were dark with sorrow. Her paranoia dwindled to nothing because that emotion was too real and Zack had never hid anything from her, not even his SOLDIER status. For all he knew the day they met, him being SOLDIER could have ruined any chance of a relationship between them, but Zack told her anyway because he was no liar, and she hated herself for doubting him.

"I found out recently and it was an accident, I swear." He sounded desperate for her to believe him, grip tightening enough to be firm but never enough to hurt. If he wanted to he could crush her fingers so easily, but her Zack was always so gentle and benign, and she was a fool for thinking him a spy.

"Back when I was at Costa del Sol." He said in earnest. "I was frustrated about the forced vacation and there was a Turk there I was sure was spying on me, and she probably was then, but when I asked how the Turks knew about our relationship she explained how _I_ wasn't the one they were spying on." His head dipped low. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

Aerith stared at him for a long moment. Then she burst into laughter loud enough for it to echo, though maybe the silence made it seem louder than it was.

Zack was stunned and concerned, but she quickly regained composure and asked, "You call that prying?"

Zack's eyes widened, but soon he grinned, delighted to see her taking it so well. "You're not mad?"

Aerith pretended to think it over. "No, I can't say I am since I planned to tell you myself anyway." Quietly she added. "The fact you haven't treated me any different since then is reassuring."

Zack's brow furrowed. "Wait, did you think I was going to-" She looked away, and he gasped. "Oh, Aerith," he grieved, pulling her in for an embrace and bundling her close. "It doesn't matter to me." His fingers gently threaded through her cinnamon hair and she closed her eyes while listening to his heartbeat. "I always knew you were special, and I adore that about you."

Tears stung her eyes as she clutched him, not quite certain this was real. Mom, both biological and adoptive, always told her she was special. They meant it in the kindest way, but all Aerith heard was different. They locked up she and her mom for years because they were different. The other kids wouldn't play with her because she was different. She was always being hunted because she was different. She was so sick and tired of being different, special, when she met Zack, but then he said, "Normal is overrated." She realized then Zack was different, he was special, and maybe being one of a kind wasn't so bad after all.

"I'm sorry I didn't trust you sooner." She whispered into his neck.

"No." Zack pulled back just enough for her to see his heartbroken expression. "You didn't have to tell me anything, I get it now." He looked away. "Shinra isn't everything I thought it was when I first joined, and I've learned the science department has done some nasty stuff."

She planted her face in his neck and half-hoped he couldn't hear her mutter. "They killed my parents." The tears broke free like a dam and the floodwaters rushed down her face while Zack inhaled sharply. "And I don't want the same to happen to you, okay?" Her voice was clogged by so much emotion she doubted he understood.

"H-how could they..." Zack trailed off while she struggled to control herself before she made a mess of his uniform.

With great effort she heaved a final sob and wiped her eyes. When she could see again Zack was staring at her with such sorrow as he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay now." She turned aside, looking off into the distance. "We should go or we'll miss our train."

Zack didn't respond, but his hand fit into hers like two puzzle pieces linking together in perfect union and that was enough.

* * *

Zack turned to view himself from another angle in the small television screen, and his tongue stuck out a little as he concentrated on fixing a single strand of raven hair that just wouldn't stay down. Aerith's shoulders shook in quiet laughter, rubbing against his within the cramp photo booth, when he finally got the hair in place and exclaimed. "There! Now I'm close-up ready."

Still giggling, Aerith put a hand on her hip and asked, "You sure? The way you were going I thought you might need another hour."

Zack scoffed and lifted his pointer finger like a teacher correcting a belligerent student. "Now, Aerith, you know a SOLIDER always has to be aware of his image."

Aerith laughed harder, clutching her middle and gesturing at his head where the same four flowers from earlier stuck out his hair. "So flowers are a part of the SOLDIER image now?"

Zack pouted. "Well how else am I supposed to get on your level?"

"Simple." Aerith caressed his cheek. "Just be you."

His face softened and Aerith clicked the start button so the number ten appeared over their image on the small television screen and started counting down. They held their joined hands up between them and gazed into each other's eyes, faces close enough to kiss.

"Hey, Aerith." Zack didn't stop smiling but his tone was serious. "You don't have to worry about me dying." Her smile faltered before she forced it back up and the countdown fell to four. "Cause I'm going to be a hero and everyone knows the hero never dies."

She didn't have time to reply before a white flash encompassed her vision, but his words rekindled the embers in her heart and death's icy grasp seemed far off at least for the moment.

Though, all too soon they were entering the Shinra Building garage, Aerith still gushing over the palm-sized, colored photo in her hand. It wasn't grainy like she feared it might be, but captured the wet sheen shimmering over her emerald eyes, the bright humor in Zack's faintly glowing blue irises, and the tender hold they had on each other.

Zack stopped and Aerith looked up, only mildly surprised to see Tseng leaning against a sleek black car parked by the caravan, which she assumed would be her ride home. Between the two vehicles stood the silver-haired man she could now identify as General Sephiroth. His eyes flicked towards her and Aerith inwardly cringed, hackles raised and heart hammering. It wasn't the cold, inhuman look to his eyes, but something about the green flecks in them dredged up a primal fear within her.

"Zack." Cloud stuck his head out before the rest of his body followed as he greeted the First, eyes catching Aerith's for a second before zipping away.

"Hey, guys!" Zack called as the other two helmeted infantrymen hopped out the van, and her eyes latched onto the last one who stood as tall as Cloud but was actually a bit slimmer. Strange, she could have sworn both infantrymen were older than Cloud.

Zack left Aerith's side to stand in the middle of the misshapen circle everyone formed around him. "Sorry about the delay, I know it's late and we're all tired." He set his hands on his sides, eyes running over everybody and stopping on her.

She grew worried when his face went blank before he said, "I can't accept your proposal."

Aerith lips parted in shock while Cloud as well as the other infantrymen gasped. Tseng's face was neutral, but took on a hard edge and Sephiroth's eyes narrowed to slits.

"See," Zack sighed, turning away and rubbing the back of his head. "My mom's been hounding me to get married since I was sixteen and if she finds out _you're_ the one who proposed she'd throw a fit."

She blinked sensing there was more to his speech.

"So Aerith Gainsborough," he faced her and his mouth curved into his most radiant smile as he held out his hand. "Will you marry me?"

A shockwave struck the room, electrifying her skin and stealing the air from her lungs, so Aerith did the only thing she could. The photo fluttered to the ground as she grabbed his face and smashed her lips against his for a passionate kiss. The infantrymen cheered and whistled, though Cloud simply blushed and looked away. Similarly Sephiroth and Tseng focused their attention elsewhere.

They broke apart for a second before Aerith dove in for another peck. Then she pulled back, her radiance equal to Zack's glowing expression as his eyes brimmed over with so much love his smile illuminated the whole garage.

Tseng conspicuously cleared his throat and the couple suddenly remembered their audience as well as their purpose here. Zack's smile diminished, but the joy didn't leave him as he said, "I've gotta go."

Aerith nodded. "That's okay. This just means I get to pick whatever I want for the wedding without you."

Zack feigned an affronted look, but Aerith pulled out the tiny, velvet box and he blinked before breaking out into a grin. "Don't lose it, okay?"

Behind them Sephiroth directed the infantrymen to enter the caravan with only one going up to the driver seat.

Zack cradled the box in his hands and brought it close to his chest. Then they stared at each other, flower girl in her dress and SOLDIER in his uniform. "When I come back, we'll be matching." His hand moved to cover the top and she layered her hands over his.

"Don't be late." Aerith smiled.

He kissed her forehead. "I wouldn't dare."

Then his hands slipped from hers, the caravan closed over his image and drove away. Aerith watched it go farther and farther and kept watching long after it disappeared from sight until Tseng quietly came to her side and asked, "Ready to go?"

Aerith silently entered the passenger side and Tseng took the driver's. As he drove out into the highway she watched the sky through the tinted window and noted the lack of stars. It was cloudy out, dark puffs blackening the sky. The rain was coming down any minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please feel free to comment or even suggest what you want to see happen later on in the story. I just love seeing what readers think or expect so any feedback would be welcomed!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the comments! They really were a joy to read :D  
Now I wish you all a happy reading ;D

Aerith was fine at first, really she was.

None of her messages got through and most of her calls resulted in a **No Service** sign popping up on her PHS screen, but Zack messaged about their safe arrival in Nibelheim and that comforted her the first night he was away.

The next morning her inbox was empty. She forced a grin while heading downstairs and got seated at the table as her mom set a plate of pancakes before her. Then the woman sat down herself and Aerith looked her in the eye as she said, "Last night I proposed to Zack and he proposed to me and we both said 'yes'."

After spitting out her tea and swabbing the resulting mess, her mother was quite happy to help her prepare for the ceremony. They started by creating a list of attendees. She penned down her mother and Cloud in an old yellow-paged notebook, but couldn't think of whom else to invite except a few street urchins she was fond of. Next she listed Zack's parents while estimating his friend invitees would amount to ten at most, for though the SOLDIER was prone to making friends everywhere he went, he only ever titled a handful of them _close_ friends.

That taken care of, Aerith then considered potential wedding venues. She hoped Zack wouldn't mind having it in Midgar since she couldn't leave city limits. Also it needed to be indoors if they married above plate, just to minimize the chances of her seeing the sky and panicking mid-vow. The place should be small too considering their short guest list, and not overly expensive as Zack wasn't a wealthy man. Though he was going to be, _just you wait_, he swore.

Her eyes drifted to the flower vase on the table and suddenly the slum church sprang to mind. She would have dismissed it, but in her head she saw its wood polished, sun shining on an altar set up in front of her lush garden and cream white ribbons adorning the pews. The idea quickly nestled in her bosom like it was always meant to be. After all, the church was where they met so wouldn't it be poetic to marry there?

A call from Cloud ended her daydream, but she eagerly answered. It troubled her to hear the Planet was sending Cloud rather morbid dreams, although everything else in Nibelheim was thankfully going alright. He hadn't gotten the chance to investigate the Shinra Mansion yet, though planned to soon, and it comforted her to hear nothing bad befallen him or Zack. He had to hang up sooner than she preferred, but that simple call abated her fears for the rest of the day.

It only got better the following morning as she finally got ahold of Zack. His chipper greeting and the sound of his voice, all its soft edges and tender melodies, alongside his promise to visit Aerith the second he set foot in Midgar kept her spirits up for days.

But then two nights passed with nothing.

Her calls didn't go through and if anyone was calling from Nibelheim, she wasn't receiving them either. However, it was only two days, so she balled up the dread and misery stabbing needles in her chest and tossed them to the back of her mind while she sold flowers in the slums. When she spotted Tseng watching her from behind the slide at the park, it took great self-restraint not to ask if he heard anything. He wouldn't answer anyway.

A week passed. Aerith woke up, snatched her PHS off the dresser, saw no new messages, and called and called and called. Zack, Cloud, Zack, Cloud, Zack, she tried them both repeatedly as she paced her room. **No Service** flashed on the screen. She tried again but **No Service **was the only response.

That night she sped out her house feverish with worry, holding her PHS up like a torch and praying a change in location would strengthen the signal. 

It didn't work. She jerked left, sprinting towards the train station in the hopes the top plate would carry a signal better when her phone beeped.

She smashed the inbox button hard enough to chip a nail.

_Subject: <no subject>_

_From: Cloud_

_I'msorry_

Rushed and lacking an explanation, his message kept her up all night. It didn't help that her calls wouldn't go through the next morning and all attempts to find Tseng throughout the day proved futile. It took her five hours to realize it wasn't just him, but all the Turks were missing, gone, vanished, and for the first time in years Aerith was completely alone.

She hated it.

Another week passed and she was certain something awful happened. The Turks knew it, their dour expressions said so. She knew it because every night the Planet screamed the same wretched words in her dreams.

_His death begins in Nibelheim. _

_His death begins in Nibelheim._

Zack was _dead_ in Nibelheim.

A dragon's flames scorched his flesh until it bubbled and warped and charred to ash. An old enemy ran his sword through Zack's heart and left his corpse bleeding in the dirt, his unseeing eyes reflections of the cloudless sky. A forest fire raged and he choked and wheezed as the smoke blackened his lungs. The sky opened up, the wind snatched her Zack, and he was lost to the heavens above.

She was being paranoid, acting _so_ _silly_.

Any day now Zack would call and explain everything or walk through those church doors, get down on one knee, and present her the loveliest ring. She told herself this day after day, busying herself with flower selling in the meantime. She ignored her mother's despairing looks across the table as she browsed through a wedding magazine and commented on dress styles. She watched the movie adaption of _Loveless_ on television and didn't relate to the girl waiting for the hero to come home unaware her hero was already dead. The television went black during the credits reel due to its sleep timer, but she kept staring at the screen and waiting for the hero to come home.

Aerith always was good at ignoring reality when it didn't suit her, which was why she maintained the facade for weeks.

Until her flower wagon broke.

The cart upturned, wood splintered, bows tore, and its insides bled red all over her pink dress. Aerith crumpled beside her roses, and clutching the broken wheel to her chest, the tears rained down.

_"Don't be late."_

_"I wouldn't dare."_

* * *

The autumn wind tousled Cloud's hair while he savored the scent of fresh oxygen. Sitting on the edge of the caravan parked to the side of the dirt road, Cloud's stomach finally settled after fifteen hours of his dinner threatening to come back up.

He was tempted to snack on some granola bars like the infantrymen behind him were, but based on how small the mountains looked in the distance, they still had hours to go. There was no need to risk upchucking granola in front of the general, he wasn't _that_ hungry, so he ignored the urge and soaked up the sun instead.

"Cadet."

Cloud jumped, eyes flying open as his head whipped to General Sephiroth. The man was leaning against the caravan, arms crossed and previously staring off into the distance, but now his full attention was on Cloud and the boy struggled not to cowl.

Smoke stung his throat and heat blistered his skin, but he ignored this as he replied. "Sir?"

Sephiroth held his eyes for a full second before inclining his head towards the lake where a certain SOLDIER rested among the grass. "Tell Fair we are leaving in five minutes."

Cloud inwardly cried over the shortness of his reprieve from nausea, yet dutifully saluted. "Yes, sir." He hopped off the vehicle and crunched through the viridian field, admiring the rich blue waters ahead as it been a while since he seen a natural body of water, and stopping a few feet behind Zack.

Spread-eagle at the edge of the lake and staring up at the cerulean sky, the First sighed. "I wish I could show this sky to her..."

"Zack," Cloud inched closer. "We have to go soon." He noticed the First was frowning. "Something the matter?"

"No, just daydreaming." Zack curled up then launched himself into a crouch and stood. Cloud's eyes sparkled at the display. He wished he could perform a neat trick like that, maybe then he could impress Tifa.

"Hey," Zack pointed to Cloud's scarf and he looked down to see yellow petals sticking out its confines. "Is that a real flower?"

"Yes, Aerith gave it to me." Cloud winced, wanting to take it back when Zack gaped at him. Stupid motion sickness, it kept him up all night and now he wasn't thinking straight.

"You know Aerith?!"

Cloud shrunk because he was pretty sure Aerith didn't want Zack to learn about their connection since it would involve mentioning Zack's death. Even if Cloud told him the truth, there was a chance Zack wouldn't believe him, and if he did Zack _really_ didn't need to hear the details of his passing. It was traumatizing enough seeing the vision when it wasn't even Cloud dying, so undoubtedly the vision would disturb Zack and there was no reason to put the First through that when Aerith and he were going to prevent his death anyway.

"Um, yes." Cloud stared down at his boots. "Three days ago I was assigned to guard her and she gave me this flower as thanks." He tugged out the withered lily, holding it in a loose grip. "Didn't realize she was your girlfriend till later."

The First set his hands on his sides and grinned. "Is that so? What a coincidence. I was going to introduce you guys soon myself, but I guess Shinra beat me to it."

Cloud was going to ask why Shinra cared so much about Aerith, but a sudden gust tore the lily from his grasp. His arm snapped out as Zack's did and their hands overlapped on the stem.

_"__Boy oh boy... The price of freedom is steep."_

Their eyes widened and Cloud inhaled sharply as he realized Zack's mouth hadn't moved except to part in silent shock.

_"You'll be...my living legacy."_

The blood drained from Cloud's face as the patter of rain roared in his ears, either his memory or the vision playing out now.

_"My honor, my dreams, they're yours now."_

_"I'm your..."_

Zack's gaze slid to Cloud's mouth and he turned ash gray upon seeing the blond wasn't speaking.

_"...living legacy..."_

The rain faded from Cloud's mind, but he swore there were raindrops sliding down his cheeks. Zack stared at him, mouth an 'O' and eyes fixed on his. It was only when Zack's face blurred that Cloud realized he was crying, and he wanted to wipe the tears away, but couldn't budge. If Cloud did the spell would be broken, the ramifications of what just happened would hit him, and he wasn't ready for that.

The caravan engine thundered to life and Cloud jumped, tearing the flower out Zack's fist, and the SOLDIER blinked. However, Cloud didn't wait for Zack to find his voice. He swiveled on his heels and ran, ducking his head as he leapt into the caravan and jamming his helmet on while ignoring the general's stare. Smoke ran up his nose and burned his nostrils, making his stomach acids boil and swish as he collapsed onto a crate.

The van wasn't even moving and already Cloud wanted to throw up, especially when that familiar set of black boots stepped in. He clutched his middle, hoping Zack would recognize the motion as him contending with nausea and thus unable to hold a conversation. This didn't seem likely, however, for as soon as the caravan started moving Zack strode over to him.

"Did you enjoy the break?"

General Sephiroth's voice was a symphony of the grandest orchestra as it diverted Zack's attention from him.

"Yeah." Zack sounded pleasant if a bit distracted, gaze lingering on Cloud with a frown before he turned to Sephiroth and to Cloud's relief, moved on. "It gave me time to think."

Sephiroth scoffed, but Cloud thought maybe the man was just clearing his throat.

Zack seemed sure he wasn't as he pouted at the older male before carrying on like nothing happened. "_Think_, should I have an outdoor wedding or indoor one? 'Cause where I'm from it's tradition to get married outside to test whether a marriage is meant to be, like couples will separate mid-ceremony if it rains during their wedding because they think it's a sign they'd be unhappy together. Problem is my fiancé doesn't like the sky so much so an outdoor wedding might not be possible."

Zack jabbered on and the others offered their two cents while Cloud was all but forgotten. Zack only paused his ramblings once as they drove up the rocky road to Mt. Nibel and Cloud groaned particularly loud when the van hit a pothole. The First bent over and asked if he was okay, gently patting his back. He waved him off, skin burning beneath Zack's hand, and the raven-haired frowned, but then the caravan rocked.

Sephiroth left the vehicle to confront the dragon outside and Zack followed, but for some reason Cloud's gut clenched at the image. Zack leaving him sick within the safety of the van while he went out to fight a powerful foe was wrong, _deadly_.

The sickness kept Cloud's mouth glued shut while he stretched out his hand to the First and mentally begged him not to go. His call went unheeded though as Zack, back straight and muscles taunt, marched into the pouring rain.

* * *

In bed at the inn, Cloud's hoping for a dreamless sleep was for naught. The second he closed his eyes he was baking under the sun, strong arms holding him up and desert dust irritating his nose. Gently yet swiftly the arms propped Cloud against a rocky surface. Gloved fingers ruffled his hair and he knew who they belonged to before he cracked open his eyes to see Zack smiling through a haze of sunlight.

There was something wrong with him. Zack's smile gleamed, but it was strained at the corners and there was a hardness to his jawline. His eyes held something potent and sharp, like he was trying to convey an importance to him.

Cloud tried asking what was wrong, why were his eyes so sad? Yet his body wouldn't cooperate until Zack was walking away. Cloud raised a trembling hand, but the blazing sun seemed to swallow Zack whole before he could reach him.

The safety clicking off a hundred guns resounded in air soon after, and though the noise was far off, it came from where Zack went. Cloud ordered himself to rise, move, _do something_, but all he managed was a slight twitch at the cost of dropping his arm.

"Come and get it!"

Rapid gunfire was the response to Zack's battle cry and Cloud's heart hammered in his chest while a low whine escaped his lips, but his consciousness was fading fast. The world whirled into a mash of colors and once he shut his eyes to clear his sight, he couldn't get them open again. Sleep spun its web over him and he was fully cocooned in it while Zack was left to die.

Cloud lurched up in bed, choking on air and skin glistening in the moonlight. He coughed until his breathing regulated and tried wiping the sweat off his brow, but his hand grasped air as the room wobbled and twisted before his eyes. Chest heaving, he slumped against the headboard to wait out the vertigo.

Never before did a dream from the Planet leave him so scared. Maybe because this was the first time Cloud saw the images accompanying the dialogue. It was too much like the day he met Aerith and witnessed that awful vision. Seeing and hearing made Zack's death _too real_.

The room came into focus and he was grateful to see no one occupying the other bed. Cloud fell asleep practically the second they arrived in Nibelheim, partially because he didn't get any rest yesterday, but mostly to avoid talking to Zack. Concerned as the SOLDIER was by their shared vision, Cloud knew his friend wouldn't deprive him of sleep after the hours of motion sickness he endured. This evidently was true as Zack wasn't here, but likely out exploring the town. He hoped the First didn't expect to find a jewelry shop, for in Nibelheim wedding rings were typically passed down through family or purchased out of town.

Cloud sighed, sat up and slid his legs off the bed, but froze when his boot crunched on something. He lifted it and gasped upon seeing his lily flattened on the ground. Dropping to the floor he gently plucked the battered flower and was relieved it didn't crumble to dust in his hand, though it was rather limp.

He frowned, wondering if a little water could save it, and got up to find it a container. His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the room until he spotted a vase on the dresser. He took out its plastic flowers and gently set his lily inside, then hurried out the door with the borrowed vase in hand.

And promptly hit a wall.

"Woah." Cloud blinked away stars as Zack's hand plopped on his shoulder and steadied his swaying form. "You alright, buddy?"

Cloud caught a glimpse of Zack's worried face and quickly looked to his flower. "Yes, sorry." He moved aside so Zack could enter the room. "I was just getting some water."

The First shifted based on the rustling sound, but didn't step forward. "For the flower?"

Cloud nodded, twitching with nervous energy as his brain couldn't help except replay the image of his friend lying in a pool of blood, bullets spraying into his chest, and Cloud too weak and useless to save him.

"Oh, I can do that for you." Zack reached for the vase and Cloud remembered the last time they both touched the flower, so eyes wide, scrambled back.

"No! I, uh, can take care of it myself." He said prior to noticing Zack was still in the doorway, leaving him with no place to run as a heavy beat of silence filled the air.

Cloud swore his breaths got more and more audible the longer the silence carried, and blood pressure on the rise, adrenaline gushing into his veins, he practically jumped out his skin when Zack sighed. Then tensed, knowing a bombardment of questions were incoming.

"Okay." Zack stepped in and cleared the doorway. "Try to make it quick, we've got an early day tomorrow."

Cloud gagged on the sour and bitter pill that was his friend's toneless formality. Zack clearly wasn't happy, yet neither was he mad, and somehow that made it worst so Cloud made it easier on them both and skittered out the room. He dashed down the staircase, ignored the restroom that was his original destination, and burst out the front doors.

The chilly, stagnant air was the ice cold bucket of water he desperately needed dunked on his head. He inhaled heaping gulps of it and staved off a wave of tears as he dragged himself forward in the zigzag pattern typical of a drunkard, not stopping until his feet hit the water tower. He couldn't resist looking up and grinned like a madman when he saw the stars twinkling like they had his final night in Nibelheim.

Though his smile soon faltered. He couldn't keep his promise, would never save Tifa when she was in a pinch, not weak and pathetic as he was. Even in the future as a SOLDIER First he couldn't save Zack. No, Cloud simply laid back and fell asleep while someone shot up his best friend. Pathetic. Cloud was so pathetic mere visions got him teary-eyed. He even sobbed like a baby in front of Aerith, someone who arguably should have been a sobbing mess herself, but she was stronger than him.

Aerith hadn't lost her cool since that first vision. Afterwards she been nothing except calm, pragmatic, and tenderly compassionate. He understood now why she was always on Zack's mind. The girl's aura was soothing, like stepping into a mother's embrace. She gave one the feeling of being coddled, and within her arms, he felt untouchable to all things bad.

He needed that feeling _now_, so after balancing the vase on one of the water tower's planks, he yanked out his phone. His foot tapped impatiently as it rang and rang, and his face fell when **No Service **flashed on the screen. He sighed, returning the PHS to his pocket. Aerith was likely asleep regardless, but he still wished to hear from her. Just knowing he wasn't alone in this, even if she didn't give any advice, would be enough for him tonight.

"Cloud?"

He swung back, heart leaping to his throat, and was only mildly relieved to see Zack instead of a townsperson who would spread word of his arrival. Though the SOLDIER was hardly better. Eye glow especially radiant in the darkness of night and a worried, yet reserved expression on his face, Zack clearly came for answers.

Cloud looked away, but Zack pleaded. "No, don't do that." His voice was soft and sad like he was trying to coax a scared animal, and it affected Cloud immensely only because he was exhausted. Physically and emotionally drained. All this hiding, the horrible drive over, the Planet's constant interference, and no Aerith to spread balm over his internal wounds. Cloud couldn't take it. One day and he'd already cracked. Such a weakling.

Cloud looked up and fought off the instinct to run when Zack came near enough to touch, but not enough to crowd. He must have really looked a mess if Zack was being so considerate. Normally the First was happy to drag Cloud into his misadventures, sometimes literally tossing Cloud over his shoulder despite his very vocal protests.

"A lot of strange things have been happening lately." Zack crossed his arms and Cloud noticed his sword was missing. He looked oddly young when freed of its weight, and Cloud couldn't help but think he was awfully young to be on death row. "At first it was just Aerith acting weird. She changed her outfit, got more flirty, stuff like that." He chuckled lightly when Cloud flushed scarlet before sobering. "I thought I figured it out, that these were signs she wanted to marry me, but then this morning happened and I realized she wasn't the only one acting strange."

He stiffened as Zack's eyes gouged into his soul. "You ran from me." Cloud flinched, though the First had stated it non-accusatory. "You tried avoiding me, and I meant to talk to you about it, but the mission and engagement distracted me. Not that it's hard for _me_ to get distracted." He rubbed the back of his neck, but Cloud was too tense to see the humor.

Zack's arm lowered and he turned to the moon. "Whatever's going on with you and Aerith is related to that stuff with the flower, I'm sure of it." His eyes never left the luminous orb in the sky as he finally asked, "Care to explain?"

"Not really." Cloud whispered, eyes squeezed shut.

Zack didn't react, didn't move a muscle, and Cloud swallowed thickly when abruptly Zack scoffed. "I figured," he said like he was more resigned than angry about it. "So how about I do the talking and you just listen?"

Cloud blinked, stunned by the offer, while Zack crossed his arms behind his head and smiled under the moonlight. "I've given it some thought and figured whatever that stuff with the flower was, you recognize it, and it scares you." Cloud didn't reply, but Zack nodded like he agreed. "It's also why you ran from me, something scared you."

Cloud bit his lip, mentally hitting himself for running that day. It was just he saw Zack and wasn't sure if he was going to cry, scream, or give the First the biggest hug, but knew whatever he did would make Zack suspicious so Cloud ran to avoid it all. Though it was apparent now that did nothing except delay the confrontation.

"Going back to Aerith," Zack's arms dropped, and hands balled up, he scowled. "She's scared too. I didn't even notice till the night we left, and she said she didn't want me to die."

Cloud gasped, and looked away as Zack turned a critical eye on him. "It didn't make sense why Aerith all the sudden worried when she's always known I was SOLDIER. I'm still not sure what triggered it, but I do know all this started two weeks ago. I also know it has something, if not everything, to do with me." He grinned a razor sharp smile. "Egotistical, maybe." His expression darkened. "But when we touched that flower, I heard my voice saying things I've never said before and I'm the only person connected to both you and Aerith so..." Zack sighed, and Cloud kept his eyes on the floor as the First breached the distance until they were inches apart.

He flinched as a gloved hand landed atop his head and the First admitted. "I'm not mad at you or Aerith, Cloud. I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping me out the loop." His hand gently mussed Cloud's hair and the blond quivered, tears stinging his eyes. It was the vision all over again, Zack holding him close and Cloud unable to react properly. "Just know I'm here for you, and whatever is going on you can tell me once you're ready. No matter how crazy or weird it is, I'll listen and we'll figure it out together."

Cloud wanted to spill everything then, but his throat was clogged up by the intensity of his feelings.

Soon the hand left his hair and Cloud mourned the loss as the First said, "Now I don't know about you, but I'm heading to bed. Seph isn't going to let us sleep in tomorrow. Trust me, I've tried before, and he just stared at me until it got so awkward I couldn't sleep so I got up anyway."

Cloud blinked, suddenly imagining General Sephiroth standing over his sleeping form and couldn't decide if that was comical or terrifying. Both?

"Yeah," Cloud choked out through the lump in his throat, surprising Zack. "Let's get some sleep."

He couldn't maintain eye contact very long, but as Zack beamed and slung his arm over his shoulders, Cloud thought maybe things would be alright after all. 

* * *

Cloud was lagging behind the party as they traveled up Mt. Nibel and Zack glanced worriedly at him. He spared the other two unenhanced individuals glances as well, but it seemed Cloud was the only one falling behind. All of them were sore and banged up in places, excluding Sephiroth, and Zack was grateful for that since he expected at least one death when the bridge collapsed.

His mako-infused eyes slid over to the infantryman walking beside Tifa and narrowed. There was something off about that guy. For one, the infantryman released a rather high-pitched yelp when the rope bridge snapped, which was odd considering the man sounded softly gruff the rare times he spoke. Also Zack was one of the first to fall off the bridge and thus got the perfect view of everyone falling above him, which was why he glimpsed that same infantryman fluidly twist midair so his feet were set below him as well as bend his knees to brace for impact.

Not only was that an impressive feat for a mere infantryman, but it was oddly familiar. The man's graceful and precise movements were something he seen before, yet he didn't recognize him. How could Zack when the guy wore his helmet even more than Cloud did?

The raven-haired scowled as they stopped in front of the reactor. Once again there was someone acting strange around him, and he couldn't help but think it had something specifically to do with _him_. The same annoyance he felt on his forced vacation to Costa del Sol flared up, as everyone was watching him with their own agendas while he was left in the dark.

"I want to go inside and look too!"

Zack paused halfway up the reactor's metal staircase to see Tifa, eyes bright and starry as she stared at the mako reactor. Zack understood, the reactor in his hometown was also regarded as a special, almost supernatural, place. The fact only Shinra employees were allowed inside only added to its mystique when he was a kid, but it also meant...

"This is a top-secret facility. Non-Shinra personnel are not permitted inside." Sephiroth voiced his thoughts, ignoring Tifa's soft protest and turning to that strange infantryman. "Keep the young lady safe."

Tifa's cheeks puffed up and she scowled at Sephiroth's retreating form. Zack sent her a sympathetic look, but knowing rules were rules, continued up the stairs when his ears picked up a scuffling sound. He looked back to see Cloud looking uncertainly from the infantryman blocking Tifa's path to Sephiroth.

Zack grinned and waved him over. "You're with us."

Cloud quickly raced up the steps. "Thanks," he said as they headed into the reactor.

"Sure thing, Spiky." Zack patted his back while the door clang shut behind them.

The ceiling rained burgundy light on their heads while gray pods lined the sides of the metal staircase before them. Each ledge contained two pods on the right and left, glowing turquoise through their oval windows. The air, stuffy and damp, chilled Zack's exposed skin as he climbed up the stairs.

_**Look out!** _

The First stilled halfway up the steps, allowing Sephiroth to pass him, as all his senses flew into high alert. There was an enemy nearby, a powerful, dark entity full of malice. Look out! His senses screamed while his heart pumped faster, hands inching towards his sword handle as he scanned the area.

"Jenova."

Zack whipped back to Cloud, hearing the same anxiety he felt replicated in the cadet's tone. The blond was still standing on the lowest ledge, rigid with his chin angled up. The SOLDIER followed his gaze to the very top of the staircase where a lime green light illuminated an engraving over a doorway.

**JENOVA**

That...that was Sephiroth's mother's name, right? Zack suddenly stood in front of the thick cement doorway beneath the name and bared his teeth upon finding it sealed. He reached for his sword, intending to slice through the door because _she couldn't be allowed to live. Jenova ruined __**everything**__. She was a __**plague**__. He wouldn't let her win this time-_

Zack recoiled, hand jerking away like he touched fire. Where did that come from? Those thoughts weren't his, they were alien to himself, and gave him the disturbing sensation his body was not his alone.

A sharp squeaking snapped Zack to awareness and he looked down to see Cloud struggling to turn a valve on a wall below, which must have been the source of the malfunction they were investigating. Across from Cloud stood Sephiroth. Zack could only see the top of his silver hair, but it seemed the First was staring at a pod.

Zack rushed down, body sparking with tension and alarms still going off in his head. Jenova... Jenova started everything. _I have to stop her!_

Zack shook his head free of those unfamiliar thoughts, lips a terse line as he reached Sephiroth. He didn't want to pry, but needed to ask what the general thought his mother's name was doing in Nibelheim's mako reactor. However, Sephiroth moved aside, wordlessly inviting Zack to appraise the pod before them, and Zack was admittedly curious so he stepped forward to peer inside.

And reared back from the sunken, black eyes on the face of the horned, living or dead, _didn't matter, _abomination staring at him through mako. Sephiroth stiffly explained how these creatures were exposed to higher concentrations of mako than the average SOLDIER, but his words were background noise. Sharp teeth splintered through the creature's gums while its jaw was splayed open in what seemed to be a silent howl of agony, and Zack would pity the creature if he wasn't so aghast.

"Are they...monsters?"

Zack turned to Cloud whose expression was hidden by his helmet, though he reeked of fear as he approached the pod. For some reason Zack didn't want him near it, didn't want that mako blue shine to streak across Cloud's skin.

Sephiroth moved away from the pod and back facing him and Cloud, twisted the knife further into Zack's chest by revealing Hojo, the head of the Shinra science division, created these creatures. The revelation hit Zack like a hurricane struck a canoe, leaving him breathless and dazed. Up, down, left, right, each was either or none at all, Zack just didn't know anymore.

Maybe he never knew anything.

"General?"

Cloud's concerned inquiry made Zack look up right as Sephiroth grasped his head in a very human display of pain and the alarm bells in his head grew so shrill, Zack mentally went deaf. He sped to Sephiroth's side because he knew something was wrong, something was very wrong. _This was when it all went __**wrong**__._

Sephiroth struck him in the chest and Zack's ribcage shivered from the force as he toppled off the ledge, but hands latched onto his armor straps, and he couldn't thank Cloud properly as the infantryman lugged him up because the wind been knocked out of him.

"You ok-"

"Am I the same as these _monsters_?"

The touch of horror layered over Sephiroth's voice as the man faced away from him and Cloud doused Zack in worry until he was drenched in it.

"I knew ever since I was a child, I was not like the others. I knew _mine_ was a special existence."

Zack's teeth clacked together as he swallowed his tongue to prevent himself from instantly protesting. This was unfamiliar territory he wadded in and every step he took could be bringing him closer to a landmine so Zack erred on the side of caution, ignoring the voice demanding he _say something! This is my chance to save him!_

"Am I..." Sephiroth raised his trembling hands, eyes acid green shards and an almost childish desperation etched into the crevices of his face. His pallor also a sickly shade as it was warped green by a nearby pod's glow.

"...a human being?"

"Of course you are!"

Sephiroth and Zack spun to Cloud, who stood taller than either Firsts ever seen him stand as he tore the helmet off his head. Furious shouldn't have been a label connected to the little blond, but in this moment it was the only adjective Zack could use to describe Cloud's march towards the stunned general.

"You're different." Cloud jabbed a finger into Sephiroth's face and the First flinched, which convinced Zack he was dreaming because Sephiroth never flinched, and certainly did not flinch from guys eye level with his chest.

"But being different doesn't make you bad or weird." The heat in Cloud's words ran a little too hot to not have a special meaning to the cadet, but there was no time to address this as Cloud lowered his hand and head bowed, said, "It doesn't matter how you came into this world, doesn't matter who or what your parents are. Heritage isn't what people should judge you for and shouldn't be a scale you use to measure yourself. It's what you _do_, the actions you take that matter, and that's why I know you're not a monster, Sephiroth."

Cloud either forgot proper protocol for addressing superior officers or threw it to the wind amidst his rant, but regardless it struck a chord in the general as his catty eyes widened to saucers.

"You're a hero, Sephiroth...M-my hero."

They saw the bravado depart from Cloud like a tire going flat as the boy suddenly seemed to realize what he was doing. His cheeks flushed and he cowed until suddenly there was an ant where there once stood a roaring lion. Sephiroth eyes didn't shrink in the least in response, still very much in shock, and Zack's own mouth continued to hang open until he manhandled it close.

Then nobody spoke. Cloud too mortified, Sephiroth too shell-shocked, and Zack about to speak when an unholy screech rippled from above and they turned to a pod sparking from the top ledge. The pod ruptured open, and the creature tumbling out of it might have horrified Zack more if only the lightning hadn't cascaded across the room and struck the only person who couldn't take it.

Cloud fell and Zack just barely caught his smoking figure as he thudded onto his knees. "Cloud!"

His little buddy groaned, but his eyes stayed shut and muscles went lax while Zack cradled him in his arms. "Sephiroth, we need to-"

The First stopped upon seeing he was alone. His fellow SOLDIER was nowhere to be seen and as concerning as that was, Zack needed to prioritize.

He carefully righted Cloud as he stood, secured Cloud's arm around his neck, and hugged the blond's middle as he led them to the door.

He was hoping to see Sephiroth as he stepped out the mako reactor, but wasn't expecting to see the strange infantryman and Tifa engaged in battle against a humanoid monster covered in silver armor.

The infantryman smashed a familiar red shuriken onto the monster's head and it stumbled back, but could not recover before Tifa dashed forward and kicked its middle. Zack was pretty sure the monster was already dead as it went flying into the sky and disappeared from sight.

The infantryman remained at the ready position, still clutching the shuriken, and Zack finally found his voice as he approached the pair.

"Cissnei?!"

The girls spun around and Zack recognized the way the infantrym- Turk twirled on the balls of her feet and wanted to slap himself for his ignorance, but Tifa's eyes suddenly doubled in size and she extended her pointer finger straight at them while screeching, "C-Cloud?!"

Said trooper was going to murder Zack upon waking, and it was too much really. Sephiroth's existential crisis and subsequent disappearance, Shinra's dirty laundry flapping in the wind, and now a dual identity reveal. It was like that soap opera he heard some old couple gushing over as they passed a television in a Sector 5 shop window, which was why when Cissnei took off her helmet and smiled like the cat that ate the canary, Zack walked straight past her. When Tifa chased after him calling Cloud's name, he told her he would message her later and hurried faster down the mountain.

Okay, new mission.

Help Cloud, find Sephiroth, and ignore everyone for the next hour because the world didn't make sense anymore and Zack, for the first time in his life, needed a vacation. 

* * *

Cloud woke up from the first dreamless sleep he had in weeks and couldn't properly appreciate the change since his head felt like a elephant was sitting on it. He sat up despite his joints' protesting and ignored the tingling sensation in his limbs. The electrocution must not have hurt him too bad, otherwise the raven-haired man sitting on the bed across from him would be ordering him to take it easy. Zack could be quite the mother-chocobo after all.

"I never pegged you for a sleep-talker."

Cloud blinked twice and cocked his head. "I'm not."

Zack's eyes narrowed before his expression opened up and he crossed his arms. "Must be a recent development then. You were calling my name." Cloud paled, equal parts embarrassed and concerned by what he may have revealed in his sleep.

"You said you didn't want my dreams or honor." Cloud's breath hitched and his gaze hit the floor. "You also said you didn't want me to die." His nails dug into the comforter below him. "Add to that what Cissnei, a Turk who disguised herself as the other infantryman, told me." Cloud's head jerked up, and Zack's lips twitched in a brief grin. "Yeah, shocker, right? She was assigned to protect me after somebody told Tseng there was a threat on my life. Based on your reaction, I'm guessing Tseng's informant was Aerith." All traces of levity were swept from his face. "It's kinda funny how everyone seems to think I'm going to die lately."

Cloud's lips pressed together. There was no need to respond, Zack wasn't stupid, so Cloud pulled his legs up, rested his chin on his knees, and stared at the wall. Who cared if it made him look like a child, Cloud felt like one under Zack's scrutiny. "Can you..." He swallowed, vocal chords strained. "Give me ten minutes?"

Zack stood. "Sure thing, I gotta run an errand anyway." Footsteps clomped away, but the pep in Zack's step was missing and the door shut a little too firmly behind him.

Cloud waited to see his raven hair surface below the window and for the First to leave the inn before pulling out his phone and speed dialing Aerith. It only rang once and then his name was chirped through the speaker. He was so utterly surprised to hear Aerith's greeting, he remained mute for a long second, but soon got his tongue working.

"Aerith? Is it really you?" He smiled as the flower girl's giggles echoed across the speaker.

"Of course, silly!" She beamed through her voice. "How have you been?"

Of course he did not mention being electrocuted nor Zack's catching on to their plans. He didn't want to worry her and there was really one thing he wanted to discuss anyway. "Has the Planet spoken to you again? Or given you dreams like the ones I've been having?"

She went silent and he held his breath, ear smushed beneath his PHS and turning red from the pressure.

"No, I'm sorry," she said like she could see his shoulders slumping over the phone. "The Planet has been quiet since it gave us that vision."

Cloud exhaled, running his hand through his blond locks while frigid, calloused fingers knotted his insides. "Oh."

He didn't know what he expected, but certainly not a negative reply like this. He been certain Aerith knew what was happening, like last time when he first started getting those dreams and it turned out Aerith heard the same thing from the Planet. He thought a similar thing was happening now because if it wasn't, the Planet was reaching out to Cloud and _only_ Cloud, but why would it do that? He wasn't special, not strong like Zack or brave like Aerith, so why was the Planet contacting _him_?

Caught in a vortex of confusion, Cloud didn't realize Aerith was talking until she asked, "Read the journal?"

He guessed what she was asking about and said, "No, I haven't looked at the journal since we got here. Why?"

Her voice was sly, but kind, as she urged. "Give it a look over. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for in there."

Cloud frowned and turned to pull the journal out from under his pillow. "I-" He saw movement from his peripheral and facing the window, noticed Zack returning to the inn. "Gotta go."

Aerith hummed a little sadly. "Okay, I'll try to call you tomorrow. Take care of yourself, Cloud."

"Don't worry." He watched Zack disappear somewhere below, likely pushing in the front doors now. "I'll keep an eye on Zack, we'll be okay."

A beat and then a breathy, "Thank you," whispered in his ear before the call ended.

Cloud shut his phone and slid it into his pocket. Then he deftly opened the notebook and his brow furrowed at the writing on the back of the cover.

_Dear Cloud,_

_I hope the information in this journal serves you well as you investigate Nibelheim._

_I wish I told you some things about myself earlier, but we've run out of time so it will have to wait for your return to Midgar. Until then,_ _trust your feelings__. __I__ know they'll guide you to the answers we seek._

_Love,_

_Aerith_

Cloud read it again, then shut the journal and hid it under his pillow. Aerith must have written that letter when they were talking in the church. He thought she was only jotting down notes, but based on the letter's blotchy penmanship, she wrote both at the same time.

Cloud set his chin on his knees and hugged his legs. Trust your feelings, she said, but what were his feelings?

The door creaked open and Zack languidly entered the room. As the First came over and sat on the bed across him there was trepidation, anxiety, uncertainty, and guilt swirling in his gut. Wait. Aerith hadn't been talking about literal emotions, but feelings. Sensations and instinctive reactions he had to things. So what was he _feeling_ right now?

_I want to tell him the truth._

"Zack?" His voice was soft as a kitten's meow and he went to bury his red face into his calves, but saw Zack's eyes held not an ounce of impatience. There was simply a concerned query simmering within them, so he turned to the First and said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you anything yesterday, but I wasn't sure where to start or if you'd believe me. And it really freaked me out when I learned about your dea- _it_, and I'm not even sure this is the right thing to do-"

"Hey, hey," Zack waved him down, hushing him as worry rounded out his eyes. "Calm down, take a deep breath."

But Cloud couldn't. It was a struggle to speak at first, but now that he begun, everything was blubbering out in a jumbled gush.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Cloud shook his head, pressure building behind his eyeballs as Zack set his hand, so warm and alive, on his shoulder and Cloud suddenly overflowed.

"The Planet said you're going to die!"

Zack's arm went slack and his hand fell off Cloud, but a dam been broken so the words kept coming. "I was having weird dreams and it didn't make sense until I met Aerith and she told me the Planet told her you were going to die, and then the Planet showed us a vision of you dying and it was horrible! You were on the ground and there's so much blood and I'm useless, I just sit there and watch you die, and it's all my fault. I know I'm the reason you die, even the Planet said so! You die for me 'cause I'm not strong enough-"

A hand caught his neck and pulled his head down into the sturdy space between Zack's neck and shoulder pad, silencing his babble. Zack's heartbeat pulsed beneath Cloud's throat and the First couldn't possibly know this was the same thing he did in the vision, but once again he held Cloud close and gave him something solid to grasp while the world broke apart around him.

Cloud felt safe, safe enough to let his tears run freely and soak the collar of Zack's uniform for minutes, days, hours, but he didn't. Instead Cloud latched onto the front straps of Zack's uniform like they were lifelines. A small part of Cloud wondered what right he had to feel like crying when he wasn't the one given a death sentence, but that voice was quickly snubbed as Zack crushed him against his chest.

The First didn't say a word as Cloud shuddered before letting go of the straps, and the older boy pulled away, though his hands stayed on Cloud's elbows. "Better?" His blue eyes sought his and Cloud nodded, fresh out of words. Zack grinned encouragingly before becoming serious. "How about you try telling me everything from the beginning?"

Cloud nodded again, and did exactly so. The odd dreams, meeting Aerith, the Planet's messages, the incident with the flower, and the dreams the Planet had been sending Cloud lately. He explained it all the best he could in the simplest terms so as not to overwhelm his friend.

He didn't quite succeed, however, as Zack looked like a building fell on him once Cloud was finished. The blond waited quietly since his throat was dry and irritated from all the talking he done, until Zack finally looked up.

His smile was a shaky thing and he was definitely two shades paler than normal, but he wasn't hysterical, so Cloud figured he wasn't too bad off. "Zack?" he asked to make sure.

The First nodded. "I'm alright. You just gave me a lot to think about." He tried to smile, but it quickly fell apart.

Cloud frowned in sympathy. "I should have told you, but we didn't want to scare you."

Zack hummed, though his eyes were focusing on something next to Cloud. The blond followed his gaze to the vase holding his lily on the dresser. To his joy, the petals didn't look so withered anymore, the water did help!

"What if we talk to the Planet?" Cloud turned, cocking his head, so Zack elaborated. "You said you guys can't figure out how I die or what Nibelheim has to do with it, so what if we ask the Planet?"

Cloud shook his head. "Aerith already tried. Didn't work."

"Yeah, but she's not you." Zack regarded him and he squirmed under the attention. "The Planet seems fond of you. I mean, why else would it send you so many visions?"

"I wouldn't call that a good thing." The bitter rebuttal slipped out before Cloud could stop it.

Zack gave him a sympathetic look. "I think it's trying to tell you something, and you haven't been hearing it out."

"What?"

Zack got up, grabbed the lily out the vase, and Cloud flinched back when he held it out to him. Sympathy became pity as Zack took in Cloud's wide eyes and ragged breathing. "It scares you, and that's why I hate to ask this of you."

Cloud couldn't look away from the lily, a cherished gift turned enemy, as Zack said, "But I think the only way we'll get an answer is if you stop running from it."

Cloud's face screwed up, a rejection on his tongue, until he saw the desperation lurking in Zack's eyes. Zack was afraid, his expiration date loomed over his head, and Cloud's best friend needed him. If it took some courage to save Zack, so be it.

He squared his shoulders and faced Zack head on. "Let's ask."

Zack smiled in quiet gratitude and held the flower out to him. Cloud's hand cautiously reached out, wavered over the flower, and in an abrupt motion clasped over Zack's hand. Still Cloud gasped when the world turned black and he heard Zack shout from what sounded far off before Cloud found himself back under the sun.

"What are you going to do once we get to Midgar?" Zack asked that familiar question as he lounged against the interior of a sunny yellow truck.

"We're friends, right?" Suddenly Zack was standing, eyes closed as he tilted his face to the sun. Cloud wondered if he somehow missed the rest of Zack's speech, but couldn't dwell on it as a metal object whizzed by his head and Zack threw himself over him.

For the first time ever, Cloud considered the possibility he was injured as Zack bodily lifted him out the truck like he didn't expect Cloud to move himself. However, once more time seemed to flash forward over and over again.

A hand ruffled his hair.

Gunshots rang out.

Zack handed him the Buster sword.

Cloud screamed to the heavens.

Cloud fell back onto the bed, colors flourishing around him and blinked rapidly until his eyes adjusted. Then he sat up just in time to see Zack sink bonelessly to the floor, body slumping against the bed. He should have warned the First how debilitating the Planet's visions were...

The First still hadn't moved.

"Zack?" Cloud slid off the bed, crouching beside his friend and gently shaking his shoulder.

Zack didn't make a sound as he fell forward. Cloud caught him with an _oomph_, and his lips parted to say more when he noticed it.

Zack wasn't breathing.

There was no heart beating in his chest nor oxygen flowing through his lungs.

Zack was _dead_.

And Cloud killed him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still cracking up over the comment section's reactions to the last chapter XD  
You guys are the best! Thanks for all the comments and kudos, and I hope you enjoy the chapter below!

Cloud's hand overlaid Zack's and the world shattered like glass, darkness surging in around them. Maybe he should have asked Cloud what to expect before diving in head first, but it was too late now. He couldn't even _see_ Cloud through the darkness, couldn't see his own hands, or feel them for that matter. Shouting too was a moot point, his voice hardly qualifying as a whisper in these dark chambers, and Zack was starting to think something went wrong when he blinked and colors poured over his surroundings.

His sight adjusted seamlessly as he now stood under moonlight, sandy ground beneath his boots and tall mounds of earth encircling him. At his feet grass swayed beside a slumped figure propped against a rock and he was racked with horror because the figure was Cloud.

"The Turks are here, too. It's too dangerous to move now," Zack's vocal chords worked without his input, tone nonchalant despite how Cloud did not appear capable of hearing him. "We'll rest here till morning. Then we'll leave at dawn."

The blond's hazy, half-lidded eyes didn't so much as blink and Zack barely held his terror at bay, for in Cloud's irises was enough mako to fuel a building. Just like those podded creatures in the reactor, just like Sephiroth as he razed the town, Cloud _reeked_ of mako.

"Eh," Zack's lips stretched into a winning smile. "We'll be alright." He wondered if he spoke for his own benefit or his friend's when crunching footfalls wiped the smile off his face and he hissed, expression severe as he swiveled towards the Turk nearing them.

"Cissnei..." Zack shifted in front of Cloud, hand already reaching back for his sword. He didn't want to hurt her, never enjoyed hurting anyone, but if this was the only way to escape...

"Wait..." Cissnei looked past him, eyes widening. "He...he's the other sample they collected from Nibelheim." She ignored Zack's battle ready stance as she focused on his injured friend. Zack swiftly angled himself to block Cloud from sight, yet Cissnei doggedly continued. "He doesn't look well, Zack." Her lips pursed and she sounded truly concerned while asking, "Is he alright?"

"Mako poisoning. Severe case." He curtly replied, trying to ascertain what type of game she was playing. After all, she made her stance clear on the beach, her loyalties lied with Shinra. They weren't friends anymore. Maybe they never were.

Horror drained the color from her face and Cissnei turned away guiltily. "The experiments, isn't it?"

"Yeah." He confirmed the experiments, the _torture_, Cloud endured led to his current state, and inwardly scoffed at the sympathy shimmering in the Turk's chocolate brown eyes, not falling for her act.

Only to nearly drop his sword as she lied to Tseng over the phone, lied to her boss _for him_.

"That's how it is..." Cissnei snapped shut her PHS. "So get away safely." She spared him a tiny smile, though her eyes begged him to be careful.

"Thank you..."

Warm gratitude spread across Zack's veins, rekindling hope in his heart as she turned.

"Cissnei."

Her amber curls bounced as the area faded to black and she rushed into the darkness.

The setting rearranged itself. The shadows stretched and shrunk until flecks of gray punctured the black and Zack's eyes opened to rain clouds polluting the sky above.

Every tendon and organ in his body screeched bloody murder as he lied back on the rocky earth. Pain seared his flesh down to the bone. The air in his lungs was acid as it forced his chest to expand and contract, each wheeze reopening the half-healed bullet wounds and severed skin on his torso. Blood was rushing up his throat and Zack choked on its coppery taste while the trooper standing over him cocked his gun.

Maybe Zack could have talked the guy out of killing him if he wasn't hacking out his own blood, but he would never know as the trigger pulled back and the bullet shred his heart to ribbons.

_"Will I..."_

His angel wore a pink ribbon, wore it every day.

_"See you again?"_

Shame he was dying drenched red, he only ever wanted to see her in pink again.

The rain stopped.

Golden light shined down on Zack's body and he reached up.

_Those wings..._

The white clouds parted as he rose into the sky.

_I want them too._

He smiled.

* * *

Cloud tried to resuscitate Zack, tried _everything_, yet still the First lied flat on the floor, chest unmoving. So Cloud ran.

He threw open the door across the hall and didn't care how the Turk inside jumped, one arm stuffed in a black suit sleeve and other swinging the sharp tip of her shuriken towards his jugular.

"Zack's not breathing!"

She froze, shuriken a centimeter away from splitting the skin of his neck, and he sped back the way he came knowing she would follow.

Cloud dropped to his knees at Zack's side and a second later the Turk was crouched beside him, black suit still half on. "How long?" she asked, hands hesitating over Zack's prone figure and fingers twitching from inaction.

"Two minutes," his voice cracked while newfound terror shadowed the woman's expression. They both knew brain damage set in after two minutes of oxygen deprivation and after four the damage was irreversible. Being a SOLDIER bought Zack an extra minute, but the seconds were flying by.

"Get the defibrillator." Cissnei ordered before placing her hands on Zack's chest and starting compressions. Cloud was gone by the time she began forcing air into his lungs.

He leapt down the staircase, uncaring how the inn keeper started at the commotion, and flung open the front doors. The crates they couldn't fit inside their rooms were stacked against the side of the inn and Cloud dove at the box labeled **HEALTH**. The lid thudded back while he dug through the supplies. He pawed past bandages, gloves, a thermometer and stethoscope, and cursed upon reaching a bottom void of a defibrillator.

He shoved the crate and it crashed to the floor on its side, medicine bottles spilling onto the dirt while he tore into the crate that been beneath it. Cloud tossed out medical equipment left and right, his pants thudding in his eardrums while the clock in his head ticked faster and faster. He pitched himself into the crate when he realized his arms couldn't reach all the way down, and wood digging into his gut, barely kept upright as his nails scraped the crate's bottom.

No defibrillator in sight.

Cloud couldn't breathe. This was the only other medical crate so if it didn't contain a defibrillator Zack was going to _die die die!_

A red heart symbol on a white box slipped out between the junk he shoved against the walls of the crate's interior. Soul singing, Cloud tore the box free, threw himself up and nearly tripped over the pill bottles littering the ground as he jetted into the inn.

Sprinting up the staircase, Cloud was back in the room and at Zack's side in five seconds flat.

Yet the SOLDIER's chest wasn't moving, and his skin was paling by the second, Cloud swore. The Turk snatched the defibrillator from his limp fingers and yanked up Zack's shirt to set the defibrillator pads on his bare chest, but Cloud hardly noticed as his vision tunneled and the clock ticks in his head grew deafening.

The room darkened around Zack's dead _dead_ body until the SOLDIER was bleeding out and holding Cloud under the storm. Blood stained Cloud's face, boiling hot compared to the freezing rain splattering onto his skin. The sky was weeping as Zack thrust his sword into Cloud's trembling hands and breathed his last. Then Zack's skin decomposed, breaking down into a neon green liquid that was rapidly inhaled by the earth until only his bones remained.

Zack's skull grinned at him.

"It's not working!"

The Turk's frustrated cry broke Cloud out his daze. He blinked and numbly noticed the woman's expression was out of place. Turks were renowned for being flippant or stoic, but the woman on her knees with misty eyes and sweat dotting her brow was undeniably scared.

It stuck a knife in his heart to witness her dedication as she continued chest compressions on the First. Zack always did have an amazing effect on people. He radiated like a miniature sun, heart on his sleeve, energy boundless, and most deadly weapon, his smile. One couldn't help being drawn into Zack's orbit, his gravitational pull rivaling a black hole's. Even Turks weren't immune, everyone hooked on the rare patch of sunshine in their dreary world.

Cloud started crying and didn't care who saw. Wet globs slid down his cheeks and he fell forward on his hands as the defibrillator shocked the First. Cloud watched the SOLDIER's chest lurch up, daring to hope it worked, and knowing it wouldn't as Zack fell still once more.

What had Cloud done? He _killed_ his best friend and didn't even know _how_. Did seeing the vision give Zack a heart attack? Was witnessing his death that bad-

No, wait... Zack didn't _witness_ his death. He _lived_ it.

Cloud gasped, recalling his talk with Aerith. The Planet didn't just show them the future, it placed them inside their future selves bodies, so if Zack was in his future self's body as future-Zack died then the death carried over from the vision, made Zack's mind think he was actually dead. In order to save him Cloud needed to get the First's brain to realize he was still alive!

"Move aside."

The Turk's head whipped up, tears on her lashes. "W-what?"

Cloud didn't reply as it been four minutes and Zack only had seconds left. He quickly wiped away his tears and searched the floor, eyes darting all over until he noticed Zack's hand loosely curled over his lily. Cloud didn't hesitate to set his hand over the golden yellow flower, call to the Planet, and conjure up every memory he had of Zack alive.

The day they met, snowflakes shimmering in their hair, gold and ebony locks bobbing as their full-belly laughter carried in the wind.

Zack in Junon, greeting Cloud by name and showing nothing except sympathy, no jabs at him for being weak or useless, as his motion sickness lingered.

The First dragging Cloud out the Shinra Building and giving him an unofficial tour of Midgar, never once laughing as Cloud oohed and ahhed over the ginormous buildings and jam-packed streets.

Zack and him in the training room, Cloud falling on the mat and head hanging in shame until Zack's stern expression waned into an easy-going grin and the First offered his hand.

Cloud wasn't sure if he was picturing the memories or the Planet placed him in a series of visions, but understood it was the Planet's doing as he found himself immobile in that yellow truck. Zack was alive, and how wondrous it was to see his lungs inflating with air, skin aglow in the sunlight and smile adorning his face.

"I'm going to become a mercenary! Boring stuff, dangerous stuff, anything for money. I'm gonna to be rich!" His arm pumped in enthusiasm before Zack flashed his teeth at him. "So Cloud, what are _you_ going to do?" He waited a moment as if expecting an answer then barked a laugh. "Just kidding!" His face softened and eyes shiny, his voice shook as he vowed. "I will _never_ abandon you."

Cloud believed him, heard the fervency in his tone, so when the inn room came into focus and the blond found himself sprawled out next to Zack, he wasn't too surprised when the First's hand twitched in his.

"Zack?!" The Turk leaned forward as the raven-haired blinked, groaning as he pushed himself up. Cloud did the same, struggling to do it one-handedly since he refused to let Zack's hand go.

"Ugh," the First shook his head before staring blank-face at the Turk and making her and Cloud fret because what if they were too late? What if Zack had brain damage like amnesia or-

Zack's eyes grew impossibly wide and jumped from the Turk's partially undressed state to the sweat on her forehead, and taking in the mere inches between their faces. "Hey, Cissnei," Zack chuckled nervously, leaning away. "I know I asked you out to dinner once, but I'm engaged now so please tell me this isn't what it looks li-"

Cloud socked Zack's arm hard while Cissnei burst into half-hysterical, half-amazed giggles.

"Ouch!" Zack rubbed his arm and turned to Cloud with a comeback on his tongue, but the blond burrowing into him whisked the words away.

"Y-you idiot!" Cloud shouted into Zack's neck, hand bunching up the back of the First's shirt while fresh tears spilled down his face. "You're t-too stupid to live!"

He wasn't really sure what he was saying, but when the chest beneath him rumbled in laughter, Cloud was infuriated until Zack's hand fell on his head. "Aw, Cloud, of course I'm going to live." The First tousled his hair rougher than usual, reaffirming to the cadet he was solid, real, and _not dead_ while Cloud's tears streamed onto his uniform. "Cause if I didn't, you'd be left alone, right?" His voice mellowed into a tender sincerity. "And I will _never_ abandon you."

A laugh sputtered out of Cloud like an old car trying to start, and gripping Zack's uniform with his paper-white knuckle while Zack hugged him back, neither noticed between their joined hands laid the lily. Gray, withered, and fragile as glass.

It was dead.

* * *

Aerith didn't get up the next morning.

She lied in bed for hours. Strings of hair dangled over her half-lidded eyes, body a lumpy rock under the covers.

Her mom knocked on the door, peeked in, asked if she was okay, and didn't seem to believe Aerith's claims of a stomach ache.

Aerith didn't care. Her PHS was cold and silent as Zack's smile in the picture atop her dresser. She'd framed the only proof of their love in gold, believing it would outlast wood.

Silly Aerith.

Nothing gold ever stayed.

* * *

Cloud was getting tired of repeating himself. However, at Zack's insistence, he explained everything to the Turk sitting beside him on the bed. He appreciated how Cissnei heard him out without interruption and remained straight-face despite how insane it must have sound.

She posed a few questions once he was done, though Cloud couldn't answer all of them since he genuinely didn't know what spurred the Planet to act on Zack's behalf or why Cloud was apparently so important to the Planet. Cissnei squinted at him, peering deep into his eyes, and Cloud unconsciously leaned away. She was a Turk after all, black suit slimming her figure as well as giving her an authoritative presence while she flexed her gloved hands.

Abruptly she smiled and patted his head. She claimed he was too cute to be a liar, adorable as a chocobo chick.

Cloud scowled and whipped towards Zack. "Just how many people have you called me a chocobo chick in front of?!" he demanded.

Zack didn't turn around from where he examined the notebook papers taped and lined up on the wall, chin resting in his palm as he said, "I can't help it if you're cute, buddy." He twisted around, devilish grin locked in place. "Besides, women love the cute ones." He winked and Cloud choked, blush creeping up his neck and face tomato red as the Turk laughed. Sometimes he hated Zack, really he did.

"So, you guys done?" Zack glanced between him and Cissnei, and once they nodded, the First's lips hitched up. "Great. Come over here."

Curiosity sparked in Cloud as he and Cissnei approached the wall while Zack backed up so they could examine it. All the pages from Aerith's journal were taped to the wall in four rows with their titles posted beside each line, having been cut off the top of some pages. Most of the notes contained Aerith's handwriting, her loopy and prim penmanship a stark contrast to Zack's rushed scrawls and Cloud's sloppy cursive.

"Nice arts and crafts." Cissnei smirked while bending forward to read the top row up-close. "How did you order them?"

Zack pointed up to the row's title _Messages_. "These are all the Planet messages Aerith recorded, excluding the times the Planet talked during a vision, set in chronological order." He waved from left to right and tapped the third page. "This is the last message, assuming she hasn't gotten another since Cloud called her."

Cloud nodded and pointed at the second row. "And these are our theories about what each message means." His finger slid down to the third row. "This is a timeline that has descriptions for every scene we saw in the Planet visions."

"Yeah, and if a scene was shown to more than one person, I put the descriptions on top of each other." Zack thumbed one page to reveal two other pages beneath it. "I tried ordering them chronologically, but I'm not sure it's totally accurate since the visions came to us out of order."

Cissnei scrutinized the fourth row. "And _Miscellaneous?_"

"That's where we documented feelings or hunches we have about the Planet's warnings, and since Aerith dated all her notes, I ordered them chronologically too." Zack pointed to the first page. "These are hunches Aerith has about my death, which for some reason include me either being set on fire, stabbed, or the sky kidnapping me."

Cissnei cocked her eyebrow. "You weren't kidding, Aerith really is terrified of the sky. She does realize it isn't a living being?"

Zack shrugged. "I didn't think the Planet was sentient either, but then it started telling my girlfriend about the future, so maybe she's on to something."

Cissnei blinked twice. "Fair enough," she conceded.

"Fire?"

Zack and Cissnei turned to Cloud, who stared fixedly at the _Miscellaneous_ row with wide eyes. "Every time I see or think about General Sephiroth, I smell smoke or feel hot like I'm standing next to a fire." Cloud's insides pinched together, his brain screaming there was a connection.

Zack grimaced, nodding. "I noticed that pattern after I read your note, which is why I put your fire thing next to Aerith's hunches about my death." He moved on to another page in the row. "I also wrote about my experience in the reactor when I had thoughts about Jenova," Cloud shuddered, chilled by the mere name, "And Sephiroth that didn't feel right, almost like I was hearing someone else's thoughts. Since Cloud reported a near identical experience, I put our notes together."

Cloud recalled the bugs crawling under his skin sensation as he entered the reactor, the stench of blood burning his nostrils and adrenaline in his veins. Then his rant to Sephiroth, which mortified him even now, not being entirely his decision. Something inside him, like another person's voice, practically forced Cloud to shout at the general. It was a lot like Zack's experience, but Cloud thought the phenomena also likened seeing a Planet vision and being in a body that was not his own, his future self's thoughts floating in his head.

"Bravo." Cissnei clapped, and the boys were taken aback as she plucked all the pages off the _Messages_ row and set them either atop or next to a _Timeline_ page. Seeing Zack and Cloud's confusion, Cissnei smirked. "Don't you see? _Time_ is the most critical factor here." She gestured to the wall. "That means if we want to understand everything we have to get all these messages, theories, and hunches to lineup with the notes in the_ Timeline_."

Cloud let that wash over him and wanted to hit himself while Zack actually did slap his forehead. "Are you telling me I just wasted the past two hours organizing everything _incorrectly_?"

Cissnei's smirk broadened. "Like I said, nice arts and crafts, but how about you leave the detective work to Shinra's _Investigation_ Department next time?"

"Aw, man!" Zack slumped, a motion that was ignored as Cissnei focused on reorganizing the notes, smug look never leaving her face.

Cloud hesitated, but soon offered a helping hand and eventually Zack crawled out of his slump to help too.

Together they realigned the pieces.

Together they reached a horrifying conclusion.

* * *

Aerith slept in the church for a week. She reached her limit at home, couldn't take her mother asking, "Are you okay?" with lips twisting in worry and eyes crinkling at the corners. It was Aerith's fault for missing breakfast five days straight, only coming down for a late lunch and rarely eating a third of it.

The guilt lodged in Aerith's chest was too heavy a burden when Zack's disappearance left her frail and shaky, so Aerith left at dawn. She breezed into a Market shop, ignored the cashier asking, "Are you okay?" as he rang up the bedroll and whisked herself off to the church.

Her mom probably thought she was tending to her garden, getting better.

She wasn't.

Aerith laid in her pink bedroll all day, back to her flowers and facing the church doors. She spent her time alternating between waiting for Zack and drifting into a semi-sleep. Sometimes the two pastimes merged. Aerith got so caught up in a daydream she saw Zack pushing open the doors, all smiles and sky blue eyes tasting like freedom, and she would jump up only for the image of him to dull and flicker until like dust swept up in a breeze, there was no sign he ever been there. Aerith would always slink back into her bedroll, cold despite its thick plush, and submerge herself within its folds.

She tried going home by nightfall, lies about flower tending and wedding planning on her tongue, but most nights she couldn't. Lifting a finger was too much work so Aerith slept in the church, barely remembering to text her mom a "I'm okay" before drifting off.

Sometimes she woke up and screamed at the Planet. She shouted like a madwoman at her garden and imagined the flowers shrinking back like children facing their mother's wrath. Aerith pretended not to see the flower wagon lying in pieces at the garden's edge. It didn't matter, Zack would come back and fix it one day. Maybe. Probably. _Please come back soon, Zack._

Sometimes he visited in her dreams. Zack's hands ghosted over her hips, lips grazing her own and laugh ringing in her ears. Those were the only times Aerith felt warm, excluding the one time Zack frowned and asked, "You okay?"

She didn't reply, figuring it was a hallucination. She did forget to eat yesterday and the day before that perhaps. Though maybe someone actually did ask, for Aerith woke up to a lukewarm cup of tea and strawberry jam spread on toast set on a gray plastic tray. She nibbled on the bread despite it tasting like dust and drank all the tea because it was clearly imported from Wutai, based on its rich flavor, and even in her misery Aerith was well-mannered enough to appreciate it.

Later that night she trudged out the church to visit her fretting mother and stopped in front of her house. She turned back and offered her stalker a tiny grin. Tseng was too far off for her to gauge his expression, but she hoped he caught hers. "I'm okay," her smile swore.

The next morning there was a steaming pot of tea on the tray at the church. As she poured herself a cup and considered how to repay the Turk, Aerith realized Tseng had caught her expression. He saw her smile say, "I'm okay," but saw beneath that it said, "I'm not, I'm not, stop asking, please, _stop_. I'm _not _okay."

Aerith sipped the scalding tea and feigned another smile.

* * *

Cloud's heart breached the skin of his chest and flopped onto the floor while he clutched the sides of his face, falling back onto the bed. He couldn't think, words tangled and twisted in his mind as his entire vision was encompassed by Aerith's notes and the letters branded themselves onto his brain.

Nibelheim was going to burn, Zack was going to die, Nibelheim was going to burn, _everyone_ was going to die, and Cloud needed to puke.

Acidic liquid was crawling up his throat already and strangling him of what little air he had left, yet Cloud managed to gasp. "We-we gotta find Sephiroth and stop him. We gotta look for him and stop him before-" He swallowed down the bile and sucked in oxygen through his chattering teeth. "My mom is here, and Tifa, and it's not very big, Nibelheim isn't, but lots of people live here so we gotta find him or-or..."

Cloud looked up and saw Zack staring at him with his brow furrowed and concern in his eyes while Cissnei appeared unmoved. What was wrong with them? Didn't they get it? Nibelheim was going to _burn_ and Cloud couldn't let that happen. _Not again. _This was his home, his mother and Tifa were here, so why didn't they care?!

Cloud leapt to his feet and marched past the two with every intention to find Sephiroth himself, but his vision cut out at the doorway and he tottered, certain for a terrifying second he was going to faint.

The moment passed, shapes and light flooded his sight, but now Zack stood in front of him with a frown. The First's lips moved, but Cloud only made out pops of consonants, which interrupted the shrill ringing in his head. He tried shaking off the noise and black spots cropped up in his vision while a sudden headache nearly bowled him over.

"-hear me?" Zack stood even closer now and was...taller?

It took Cloud a second to realize he was no longer standing, but seated on the bed. He tried getting up only to find his arms were weighed down. He turned aside and saw Zack's hands holding his elbows. Huh. Was it bad that he couldn't feel the First's hands?

"Cloud," Zack said, a smudge of ebony locks and tan skin as Cloud's sight zoomed in and out. He squinted until the magnifying glass effect stopped and Zack asked, "When was the last time you ate or drank anything?"

Good question. Cloud racked his brain for the answer, but could only say, "While 'go," he slurred or maybe his rural accent was coming out now that he was outside Midgar and back home. Good ol' Nibelheim, home sweet h-

"It's going to burn!" Cloud suddenly lurched forward, grasping Zack's arms back. He needed to warn the First, they had to stop Sephiroth or it was all going to burn!

Zack's face morphed into a paradoxical mix of emotions. Encouraging smile on his face yet anxiety darkening his eyes into a royal blue, the First nodded. "Yeah, Cloud, I know. It will be okay," he said it slowly, enunciating every syllable with precision yet it took Cloud a good while to understand.

By the time he did, Zack was gone and a pretty Turk stood in his place, offering him a cup of water in a styrofoam cup. He reached for it. Missed. Tried again, and only got it because the Turk caught his hand and adjusted his fingers around the cup, letting go only once his grip was firm.

As he sipped, his hand shook and the water dribbled over his chap lips. Above him the Turk turned back to Zack saying, "He's dehydrated..." Her fingertips tickled his free hand's wrist before she released it. "...steady pulse...not in shock..."

Cloud didn't bother absorbing the meaning of her words, too engrossed by the cool liquid soothing his parched throat and how it felt running down his chest and branching out into his veins. He sighed in contentment, in and out, in and out, breathing deeply while the fog in his brain dispersed.

Nibelheim was going to burn, Zack was going to die, and Cloud needed a break. His brain hurt, chest still sore from the fall and nerves shot after his electrifying encounter in the reactor. Even his heart felt bruised, wrung out and seconds away from bursting. He also hadn't eaten since breakfast and now starlight was winning the battle against sunshine outside as the sun dipped into the horizon. The whole day flown by and anxiety renewed within Cloud because this was a day wasted, a chance to stop Sephiroth lost.

He set the empty cup on the dresser, eyes on the window and searching for a spot of silver hair as he stood.

"Cloud."

He didn't turn back as he approached the window and observed the hustle and bustle of town square. "We need to find Sephiroth."

A hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed. "I know. We will."

Cloud spun back, wrenching out of Zack's grasp. "We have to find him now!"

Zack was shaking his head side-to-side before he even finished. "Not now," he said, expression diplomatic.

"But-"

"Do you think you can beat Sephiroth single-handedly?"

Cloud recoiled, nearly swallowing his tongue in his haste to retract his planned retort. "Uhh, no."

The First sighed, arms crossing. "Good, because I know I can't beat him."

Cloud's eyes widened, and Zack tried to smile, but it was too tight to be mistaken as authentic. "We've had a long day," he turned, walked over to the timeline and stopped. "_I've_ had a long day," he looked over to Cloud. "And even on a good day I'm no match for Sephiroth." His voice wavered and Cloud wanted to refute him, reassure him, but they both knew he was right. Sephiroth and Zack were both First Class, but when it came down to brute strength and speed, Zack would last a while, but in the end the victor would not be Zack.

Cloud's shoulders lowered and he bit his lip. "Okay, I...I guess it can wait till we're better prepared tomorrow."

Zack nodded, staring pensively at the timeline for a moment before sending Cloud a small smile. "Get some rest, okay?" He began walking backwards, smile widening as he reached the doorway. "Don't force me to make that an order."

Cloud rolled his eyes and moved to perch on the nearest bed. Then he sent Zack a petulant look that said, "See? I'm going to bed. You can go now."

Zack chuckled as he turned frontwards, shutting the door behind him. Cloud huffed a laugh, feeling more like himself than he had for hours, and bent over to take off his boots, however, in his peripheral was the wall. He managed to ignore the timeline as he flicked off the lamp and moonlight streamed in, but maybe the world was trying to tell him something because right as he slid under the covers a page fell. It must not have been taped firmly enough to the wall, leaving it to drop down and fold in on itself on the ground. Cloud padded over because he didn't want risk losing a single note, and picked it up.

_Zack Fair is going to die._

The paper crunched as his hand curled into a fist and trembled. It was the first page in the timeline, the start of Cloud's misery. The Planet told Aerith about Zack's death, gave a second message, and the third that changed everything.

Cissnei had squinted at the date in the top corner of the page she was staring at and frowned. "Zack?" The SOLDIER turned to her, note pages in his hand as he previously was engrossed in placing them on the timeline. "What day did Aerith first write about feeling you would burn to death?"

Zack crossed his arms and huffed. "Wow, thanks for the show of sympathy." He realized Cissnei wasn't even looking his way so pouting, shifted through the pages he held, stopped on the one in question, and read the date aloud.

Cissnei's lips pursed. "That was after the Planet told Aerith your death starts in Nibelheim." Before Zack could question why that mattered, Cissnei regarded Cloud, who was observing their interaction. "And when did you start smelling smoke around Sephiroth?"

Cloud rubbed the back of his neck, nervous due to the intensity of her expression. "Um, the night we left for Nibelheim."

"Before or after you knew your mission was in Nibelheim?"

"After." Cloud hastily replied, tense as Cissnei glared at the floor.

Zack and him shared a look over her bowed head, equally perturbed, when Cissnei said, "Nibelheim and a fire are connected to Sephiroth."

Ice filled Cloud's veins and his core temperature dropped below freezing as Cissnei delved into her nitty-gritty theory. It made too much sense, all the pieces fit together perfectly, _horrifically._ Hearing about Nibelheim triggered Aerith's hunch that Zack would burn, hearing about Nibelheim caused Cloud to link fire to Sephiroth, and the Planet tied Zack's death to Nibelheim. It all made so much sense. Cloud drowned in the logic and never resurfaced.

**TIMELINE**

The Planet messages Aerith thrice, Zack and Sephiroth travel to Nibelheim, Jenova causes Sephiroth to question his humanity, Sephiroth goes crazy (as SOLDIER Firsts have a tendency to do when overwhelmed, Cissnei points out), and in a fit of insanity sets Nibelheim on fire.

Many people die.

Zack tries to stop Sephiroth, he is stabbed many times for his trouble (explains why Aerith imagined you being impaled, Cissnei deduced), Shinra covers up the Nibelheim incident (Zack has seen it happen before with Banora and Cissnei won't say a word, but her silence is telling), Zack and Cloud end up test subjects and Cloud suffers severe mako poisoning. He'll never be SOLDIER.

Time passes.

Zack escapes with Cloud, Cissnei lets them go (she doesn't know why, a Turk always follows orders, but maybe Zack really is that special, so special he could make a Turk turn traitor, and that should worry Cissnei, but it just makes her smile), yet it's not enough. The army finds them, Zack is shot up, the rain falls, Zack dies, leaves Cloud in pieces and Aerith alone. Who knows what happens to Cissnei.

The sky opens, Zack falls up into the heavens, and Aerith fearing the sky will take him isn't so silly anymore.

* * *

Aerith got worse.

Her head buzzed with clumps of what might have been thoughts if only she was more lucid. Her pink dress didn't her hug her curves like it should anymore and that was a shame. Zack really liked the way it accentuated her shape, even if he was too polite to say it, his wolfish grin said it all while his lips showed her just how much he appreciated it.

Aerith stood on the church steps and drew a pale hand to her cheek, thumb rubbing circles over the spot by her lips Zack used to kiss. She was freezing, but in her mind she was warm. Zack had her folded in his arms and her ear was pressed against his chest, his heartbeat the music she lived for.

Her body swayed smooth and slow to his pulse's drumming and her cheekbones dug into her palm, a low hum breaching the confines of her throat.

"Hey, Aerith!"

Her eyes flew open and when did she close them? She brushed off that thought as her hands dropped to her sides and she turned to find a young boy standing a few feet away. She recognized him, but it took her brain a second to register he was the street urchin who Zack said helped him collect materials for her flower wagon, and by then the boy was tilting left. The boy leaned over so far he stood on one leg for a second, then he straightened and repeated the motion on his other side while Aerith realized he was searching the area around her when he straightened, curiosity mixed with flecks of disappointment evident in his dark eyes.

"Where's the SOLDIER guy?"

Aerith inhaled sharply, but a breeze covered up the sound while the boy casually threaded his fingers behind his head and rocked on the balls of his feet, waiting for her answer.

Her heart chugged like a train gaining speed because the boy was the spitting image of Zack, not in appearance, but by mannerism, as he was unable to keep still. Gaia, it hurt so _so_ much to simply think of her Zack.

The boy's arms dropped and he looked concerned, likely noticing the pain in her eyes. "You break up with him or something?"

Aerith giggled, hand snapping up to muffle the sound in case she sounded hysterical as she felt. "No," the word crunched out her dry mouth. "He's away on a mission. He'll be back soon." Her cheeks burned, for she sounded like she garbled marbles for breakfast, her voice was so rough.

"Oh," the boy tapped his foot twice then frowned, staring at the earth. "I kinda miss him."

Aerith's head angled up towards the plate above and she knew beyond it were blue skies, blue as Zack's eyes. The plate was the distance between them, the unbreakable wall, and she hadn't the courage to take the train since Zack left so she simply said, "I kinda miss him too."

* * *

Cloud came to awareness gradually as fingers carded through his hair with butterfly touches. He was on his back, under the covers in a bed at Nibelheim, and the fingers stroking his forehead as they swept through his bangs were slim and warm. Feminine.

"Mother?" Cloud peeled open his eyes while a soft exhale sent a whiff of cinnamon and roses his way.

He smiled though the fragrance confused him. Ma always smelled like freshly-picked daisies and mint tea in the morning. She never liked wearing perfumes, especially not the strong scented kind.

He blinked until his ice blue orbs met rich ruby and he could only stare at the image of Tifa standing at his bedside. He would have thought her a fragment of a wonderful, though embarrassing, memory from years ago if only she weren't so tall, tall enough to make her long, smooth legs as prominent a feature as the curve of her hips and...and Cloud really needed to stop his eyes from going up past there.

"C-Cloud."

His eyes jumped to her face. Long lashes batted at him under her cowboy hat and her lips, lush and glimmering in the sunlight formed an awkward half-smile while red dusted her cheeks. No, no, this wasn't real. Cloud was dreaming. Tifa always looked stunning, in his memories and even during the rough trek up Mt. Nibel, but right now she was beyond that, like literally breathtaking, a too good to be true beauty.

Cloud sat up and Tifa stuttered gibberish before giving up on words to rub her arm, ducking her head as the breeze blew in from the open window and her long, dark chocolate tresses whipped forward just far enough to tickle Cloud's nose.

Oh. So Tifa was real after all...and recognized him...and he was wearing infantryman uniform not SOLDIER...and he wanted to scream.

Instead Cloud fumbled. "H-how..." He couldn't decide which of the dozen of questions he had needed an answer first when Tifa jumped, head flying up.

"Oh, I, uh, climbed through the window."

Cloud blinked twice.

"The door was locked, but I knew you were in here so I climbed."

Cloud didn't blink at all, he just gawked.

"N-not that I've been watching the inn since yesterday waiting for you to come out- I mean, Zack said he was going message me, but he never did and he ran after Sephiroth before I could ask about you-"

Cloud lurched out of bed and was on his feet in a flash, grasping Tifa's pillow soft arms. "He went after Sephiroth alone?!"

Tifa's eyes fluttered rapidly, lips parting as she stared at him, and it quickly struck Cloud that he shouted in her face. He hadn't talked to Tifa for two years and the first thing he did during their reunion was yell in her face.

He jumped back, yanking his hands to his chest. "Sorry!" He wanted to apologize on his knees and beg for forgiveness, yet there was no time. "But I really need to know, it's important."

Tifa's brow furrowed and she looked wary. "No, Zack went with that woman...in the suit." She briefly looked puzzled, perhaps never having seen a woman in a suit in such a small, old-fashioned town. It was unlikely she even knew what a Turk was.

"There's something wrong." Tifa's amber red eyes cut into his soul and she reached out as if to touch him, but aborted the motion halfway. "With General Sephiroth, and that reactor, right?"

Cloud blanched. He couldn't answer her, could he? He wasn't allowed to share Shinra's interior issues with civilians, but Tifa's gorgeous eyes were begging him and the truth was sizzling in the back of his throat.

"He smells like smoke."

Cloud nearly dropped dead, but his heart restarted before the shock killed him and he sputtered. "What?!"

Tifa's lips were a line, a hint of desperation sprinkled across her expression. "Sephiroth smells like smoke. I thought I was imagining it, but when we reached the reactor my whole body felt hot like I was by a fire and I had this weird feeling-"

"You had been in the reactor before." Surprise sprouted on her face as he continued. "It's like you're reliving the same day again."

"Exactly!" Tifa reached out and this time actually grabbed his hands, holding them tight. "Ever since Sephiroth arrived, I felt like I was repeating myself, saying things I already said. That's why I wanted to go into the reactor so badly, I need to know for sure if my feelings are real, if I've been in there before."

She took a step closer so their hands were the only barrier between them and appeared desperate and needy. "You know what's happening? Tell me, please, Cloud."

He couldn't have denied her if he tried, not when she was so close, not when she was in a bind. This was Cloud's chance to save her just like she made him promise. And maybe...maybe he didn't even have to bring up his lack of a SOLDIER status. He could just wait until he returned to Midgar and became a SOLDIER. Then he would come back and Tifa would see him in his uniform, dream fully-realized and promise completely fulfilled.

Cloud led her by the hand to the timeline and recounted all he knew. He watched terror twist her expression, felt her hand quake in his as he brought up Nibelheim's burning. Then they sat on the bed together in pensive silence and Cloud didn't think much about their interlaced fingers until the door creaked open.

Their hands zipped apart, both of them flushing as Cissnei walked in. If the Turk was surprised, she didn't show it as she bared her teeth in a coy grin. "Am I interrupting?"

Cloud paled and Tifa leapt to her feet, waving her hands wildly, but Cissnei laughingly cut her off. "You don't have to answer."

They both sighed in relief.

"I've actually been listening for a while."

Tifa's brow rose and Cloud stood as she sent him a questioning look. "Cissnei is a Turk, it's part of her job to spy," he explained.

Tifa nodded, and though she still didn't look happy about it, she quickly crossed the room and offered her hand to Cissnei. The Turk was startled, yet shook it.

"Thank you for the help yesterday." Tifa smiled and the whole world lit up, Cloud swore.

"Oh, that?" Cissnei returned her grin. "I'm sure you could have taken them by yourself." She let go while Tifa turned red at the flattery, claiming it was all thanks to Master Zangan.

Cissnei nodded and looked over to Cloud. "Zack wants you to come to the Shinra Mansion, it's where Sephiroth is."

Cloud instantly sped to Cissnei's side. "Is he okay? What's Sephiroth doing?"

Cissnei held up her hand and he obediently quieted. "Zack is fine, Sephiroth isn't, but Zack claims he has a plan and he needs our help, so come on." She took her leave and Cloud hurried after, nearly crashing into Cissnei's back as the Turk paused to wave at Tifa. "You can come too."

Tifa brightened and ran to catch up with them at the top of the staircase. "Let's go."

Cissnei started down the steps as Cloud and Tifa descended together, their fingertips colliding as they walked, and Cloud ached to hold her powder soft hand again, but she didn't reach out and Cloud wouldn't dare.

* * *

The Shinra Mansion was creepy enough before Zack found the coffins. If the top floors were eerie, he didn't even have words to describe the underground caverns. A creepy lab that made a deathly cold chill run down his spine. Him growing queasy as Cissnei pointed out the lack of cobwebs or dust on the equipment, meaning Shinra was here fairly recently, and he couldn't help remembering Kunsel saying there were no records of this place. However, if Shinra still used the mansion, why weren't there records about _what_ was being conducted here?

Cissnei said she could think of a couple reasons as she stared at a dark stain on the floor by the examination table and her gaze slid up to the pods that could comfortably fit humanoid bodies lining the wall.

He walked away before she could go on.

Then there was the library where Sephiroth paced, muttered under his breath, and studied scientific journals like a man possessed. He ignored Zack like one ignored a pesky fly and it didn't sting so much as frighten him because Sephiroth wasn't himself. The way he walked, typical regal strut now a caged beast's prowl. The fact Cissnei, a Turk, didn't garner a glance from him not because he deemed her a pest like Zack, but the general didn't even _notice_ her. Zack couldn't decide which freaked him out the most as he stood in the hallway leading to the library, his enhanced hearing picking up Sephiroth's mutterings of _Professor Gast...why did you die_? and _Jenova verified as an Ancient_...

Zack was starting to think the skeletons peeking out the dirt by the coffins weren't the most disturbing things around, nor was the unhinged powerhouse of a SOLDIER perhaps moments away from razing the town. No, the real terror was the feeling Zack had been here before. The fact he nearly stepped into that lab pod just to see if his feelings were genuine, he was once in that pod and _the world outside was filtered through sea foam green, glass too thick to break yet not thick enough to block Cloud's screams-_

"Zack?"

The First spun back to Cloud, Cissnei, and..._Tifa?!_

Cissnei answered his unvoiced question. "Tifa has seen snippets of the future ever since Sephiroth arrived in town, so we filled her in on the situation."

Zack's eyebrows rose to his hairline. Okay. That was a twist. He couldn't see how Tifa factored in the equation, she never showed up in the Planet visions, didn't seem tied to anything, but maybe the Planet knew something about Tifa that Zack didn't.

"Cissnei says you have a plan?" Cloud inquired, expression terse. Really, the whole trio looked tense. Cissnei's hand was on her hip, mere inches away from the shuriken she stowed in the small of her back under her suit. Tifa's hands were flexing and Cloud's eyes were cold as he stared ahead unwavering.

Nope. This, this was not gonna fly.

"Yes!" Zack beamed and set his hands on his sides in a classic hero pose. "It's called Operation Cuteness Overload!" He pointed at Cissnei who arched a thin brow at him. "First, you flirt with Sephiroth, soften him up," her brow rose higher, "And Tifa, you do the same!"

"W-what?!" Tifa turned beet red, which wasn't his intention but now she was stressed in a more light-hearted manner so he rolled with it.

"And you," Zack pointed at Cloud who was gaping at him, "Just be your usual adorable self." He aimed his thumb at himself. "And I'm going to bat my puppy-dog eyes until Sephiroth agrees not to burn Nibelheim." His grin broadened as he spread out his arms as if to shout _ta-da!_

The trio stared back with varying degrees of disbelief.

Then Tifa whispered. "Is he always like this?"

Cissnei and Cloud gave rather vehement nods and okay, warranted as it was, that was a low blow.

"Hey!"

"So what is the _real_ plan?" Cissnei asked, smirking a little as her eyes twinkled in amusement, and maybe Tifa and Cloud didn't see it, but Cissnei knew all along what Zack was doing and went with it anyway. Whoever said Turks didn't have a sense of humor?

Zack grinned while Tifa sighed in relief, for apparently she was not the flirting type. "Okay, so the actual plan is _follow my lead_."

Even Cissnei was taken aback by his proclamation, but he quickly hurried into the library before they could demand clarification. He heard them following as he stepped into the room, but Zack only had eyes for Sephiroth.

The man looked no better than he did an hour ago, though at least he was sitting down at the desk while he read. Although the muttering under his breath thing and his eyes zipping across the text, never lingering on a page for more than eight seconds, were disturbing.

Before he could second guess himself, Zack darted forward, whipped out his sword and swung at Sephiroth's neck.

Someone gasped while one of the girls, likely Tifa, screamed.

Zack ignored them as Masamune's cold steel poked his chest, so close to fulfilling a dark prophecy if the owner nudged it forward just a little, while the desk ahead was vacant and his Buster sword hovered over the oak. His eyes slid over to Sephiroth who was staring at him coolly, one arm holding the open book because even one-handed the man could kill them all.

Yet Zack smiled. "Oh, so you aren't as far gone as I thought!" He cheered, watching the man's face closely. It didn't change. The tension in the room was thickening and the temperature rising so Zack hurried on. "Well, now that I have your attention," he slowly drew back his sword back and though Masamune minutely cut into his uniform, Zack successfully sheathed his sword without losing his life. "I was wondering if you wanted some help?"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, flicking to the space behind him and Zack sighed. "Guys, you can put away your toys, we're all friends here."

A beat of silence.

Then there was the rustle of weapons being re-stored on multiple persons and fists uncurling, lowering the tension in the room by thirty percent. The number dropped another thirty as Sephiroth retracted his sword back to, well, wherever Sephiroth hid that huge thing. Something he hoped to ask Seph one day. Assuming Nibelheim didn't burn in the next hour.

"I do not require your aid." Sephiroth slid back in the chair, setting the book on the desk. "Leave m-"

Zack smacked his hand on the page and for the first time all day Sephiroth showed an ounce of emotion, which was frigid anger and a venomous glare that scared Zack far more than Masamune aimed at his heart.

"No."

Sephiroth's glower intensified and the temperature was below freezing, but Zack shook his head. "You can ignore me, threaten me, kill me if you want to."

The barest twitch in Sephiroth's expression, and maybe Zack imagined it, but some of the heat in his glare was tempered by reluctance, hesitation.

"But I'm your friend," Zack took on a kicked puppy look that was mainly authentic because Sephiroth didn't look angry so much as confused now, even if only Zack could see the slight contracting of Sephiroth's eyes. "And when my friends need help, I'm going to help them whether they like it or not."

That said, Zack marched to the nearest shelf, tugged out a random book and sat cross-legged on the floor, flipping the book open in his lap. He proceeded to read, truly read, so hardly registered how Cloud, Cissnei and Tifa were spreading out to the other corners of the room and grabbing their own books.

"What are you doing?"

Zack looked up to Sephiroth, who stood over him with the most neutral expression yet in his eyes was a hint of uncertainty.

"Helping you get through this library faster."

"Why?"

Zack smiled thinly. "Because it's important to you and I wanna help." He blinked, frowning. "Sorry if I'm disobeying orders, this won't go on my record, right?"

Sephiroth's face went blank because Zack's question was an olive branch, yet whether the man would accept was uncertain, which was why the whole room paused as Sephiroth's lips parted to reply.

* * *

Aerith rose from her bedroll, flicked off her lamp, and walked unsteadily down the aisle to the church doors. She had every intention to visit her mother when a knock on the wood made her still in front of the doors.

"Yes?" she asked roughly, dry mouth no longer used to producing speech.

The door creaked open and the SOLDIER stepped in.

She saw his raven hair.

She saw his sky blue eyes.

Aerith threw herself into Zack's arms and swore she would never let go.


	6. Chapter 6

They fell into a routine of reading and discussing the research over the next five days. Now down to a single stack of unread books, the others turned in for the night, Zack staying behind only to delve into an argument which may or may not result in Nibelheim burning tonight. 

"You may leave if you wish, Fair." Sephiroth didn't look up from the thick, green textbook he was reading at the desk. His tone was flat, expression cool, but Zack could tell the general wanted to bludgeon him with the desk lamp at this point. 

Zack didn't care. He marched up to the desk and arms crossed, leaned over until Sephiroth looked him in the eyes. "You need a shower." 

Sephiroth's expression pinched. "We have been through this already and my answer remains the same."

"You stink, Seph, maybe not enough for the average person to notice, but my SOLDIER senses are telling me you don't smell like a basket full of roses right now."

"Then I suggest you leave so my 'foul' scent ceases to bother you," Sephiroth purposely stared down at the book, the green flecks in his eyes agitated and _glowing_. They only did that when Sephiroth felt strongly about something, and while it wasn't the first time Zack seen it happen, he couldn't look away from the hue. Ever since they visited the mako reactor the color green no longer reminded him of nature or even Aerith's pretty eyes. Green was Jenova. 

And Jenova was death.

Zack shook off those thoughts and straightened, appraising Sephiroth who for all the world didn't seem aware of the First. He finally got the man to eat yesterday. It was only a bowl of veggie soup, but Zack was just glad to see his friend doing something other than reading. Now he needed to get Sephiroth out of this room, which Zack didn't think was unreasonable considering the man hadn't left the mansion for five days straight.

He tried wearing Seph down with puppy-dog eyes and whining, but Sephiroth threatened to kick him out the room, not in so many words as a stern _look_ from the general was enough, so he moved on to using Seph's own hair against him. For although SOLDIERs were required to look nice and neat in the public eye, with the type of sheen Seph's hair had, often smelling like strawberries, the man clearly took his hygiene seriously out of personal preference. This only made it more worrying when the man refused to sleep, bathe, or even eat without coercion. It meant Seph still wasn't himself, not entirely, and everyone agreed they weren't out the danger zone yet.

"If you intend to stay here, you might as well make yourself useful." Sephiroth flipped a page, but through the meanness, Zack heard an invitation. Considering the man tried kicking him out the first day and the second, third day dismissing Zack's entire group, the raven-haired happily grabbed a book from the stack on the desk and plopped down on the floor nearby.

Baby-steps were progress, no matter how minute. Admittedly though, as the minutes ticked by in silence, Zack got antsy. Exactly like the night prior Zack simply couldn't sit and read for hours on end, not when he had been doing the same thing for the majority of the day. He sprung to his feet and to combat his boredom, blurted what he been thinking about for days. 

"You're not alone."

Sephiroth lifted a thin brow that told Zack exactly how stupid he sounded. "Obviously, unless you are a figment of my imagination."

Zack hoped Seph was joking, that he wasn't actually prone to hallucinating since that would _not be good _and a sign he was losing it. 

Sephiroth noticed his pensive frown and reluctantly set down his book, granting him his full attention. Zack quickly explained. "I'm talking about back in the reactor." Sephiroth's expression tightened. "You kept referring to me as an average SOLDIER, said _average_ members are human." His voice quieted as he earnestly asked, "What about you?"

Sephiroth rose from his chair and turned. "You have seen the research on the Jenova Project. My mother was an Ancient unearthed from a 2,000 year old stratum." He wandered to a shelf and stopped. "So even if my father is human," his fists clenched, "I am not."

There was a moment where neither uttered a word, then the general looked over his shoulder. "Now the Ancients, the Cetra, are but a memory that exists only within the pages of history." He walked up to Zack and narrowed his eyes while the shorter male tensed. "I cannot claim myself a human, yet if I claim myself a Cetra, then I must admit to being the last of my kind." 

Zack's face crumpled and he was tempted to reach out, but already Sephiroth was standing behind the chair, back to him. "Then there is the third option."

Zack's voice bled sympathy as he asked, "What's that?"

Sephiroth chuckled darkly. "Consider myself neither. I am a hybrid, a monste-"

"Stop."

Sephiroth swiveled around, shocked as Zack pinned him down with a granite hard look. "You-_you_..." Zack seethed and the general frowned, wary of the smoldering sky blue eyes trained on him because Zack's blood was boiling. He wanted to punch a hole in the wall, but Sephiroth was starting to adjust his stance like he expected a fight, as if he really thought Zack would treat him like he saw himself. A _monster_.

Zack shut his eyes and took a deep breath, releasing it in a loud whoosh. Once he was certain he wouldn't shout, he said, "When we took this mission, you told me you were thinking about leaving Shinra." Sephiroth nodded slowly, thrown off by the change in topic. "I haven't told anyone that, I know it's personal to you, so now I'm going to trust you with something personal and I need you to promise not to tell anybody, especially anybody in Shinra."

Now fledgling concern was peeking behind Sephiroth's apathetic mask as the man swore. "What you say will not leave this room without your explicit permission." 

Zack snorted, corner of his lips flicking up for a second. "Pinky swear?"

Sephiroth's face turned blank, and Zack realized the man had no idea what he was talking about.

"O-okay," Zack cleared his throat. "I'm just going to take that as an 'I promise'." The smile dropped and his forehead wrinkled as he admitted. "I know another Cetra, you've seen her, she's my fiancé."

Sephiroth's eyes expanded and his shock didn't fade as his gaze ran over Zack like he expected to find a sign he was joking. When Sephiroth found no tells, a feverish desperation pierced his catty irises, which were brighter than a neon sign as he went up to Zack and demanded. "Are you certain?"

Zack's head bobbed. "Remember how I came back from a date with those violets in my hair? Aerith got them from her garden, the _only_ place in Midgar where flowers grow. Didn't those textbooks say something about Ancients cultivating the land?" Sephiroth's mouth fell open slightly as his head jerked in agreement. "And didn't it say the Cetra have a special connection to the Planet? Aerith hears the Planet speaking sometimes, not very clearly, I think 'cause she's only half-Ancient like you." 

The general froze and his gaze lowered as an abashed look draped over him. "My apologies, I did not intend to insult your wife-to-be." 

Zack ran a hand through his front hair. "I appreciate that, but I didn't stop you just for her."

Sephiroth turned aside, but the younger First wasn't done. "Like I said, you are not as alone as you think, friend." He smiled and raised his hand as he began to exit the room. "Get some rest, take a shower, just do something that isn't reading all night. I mean, we're almost outta books to read anyway and it might do you some good to look over the research with a fresh pair of eyes tomorrow."

"I do not tire like most." 

Zack sighed his trademark "I'm disappointed in you" sigh and purposely dragged his feet as he entered the hall. "Yeah, I know, I know." He hoped his pout was audible. 

Yet when he heard the desk chair creak and a page flip behind him, Zack frowned more genuinely as he walked up to the staircase, only pausing as his sensitive hearing picked up one phrase. 

"I am not a..."

A monster? 

Alone?

Sephiroth didn't finish, but Zack stood a little taller anyway. The whispered words didn't mean Sephiroth would take a break or Nibelheim was saved, but Seph's mindset was changing and that was one more step in the right direction.

* * *

Unfortunately, the moment Zack reached the mansion gates he realized it was going to be a long night as Cissnei waved to him from down the road. 

"Cloud and Tifa are missing, I think they're heading to the reactor," she said upon reaching him.

"This late?" He only asked because Tifa always went straight home after helping out in the library, not wanting to worry her dad who she seemed rather close to. Although she may have gone home and snuck out without her father's knowing.

Cissnei crossed her arms. "Tifa has been asking to go inside the reactor for days, but you know the rules. She asked again tonight and I told her no, but when I got out the shower, Cloud was gone and wouldn't answer his PHS. I got suspicious when I noticed your keys to the reactor were missing. You don't have them, do you?"

Zack numbly shook his head as his heart pounded against his ribcage, beating to an inharmonious tempo that was speeding up the more he thought about the reactor. _The _**_plague_**_. She's there, waiting. She'll kill us all._

Zack's hand itched to grab his sword and _cut Jenova in two, start a fire and watch her _**_burn_**.

"-ck? Zack?" Cissnei snapped her fingers in his face. 

"I'm fine." Noticing the concern swirling in her cinnamon eyes, he screwed on a smile. "We should hurry." 

He rushed down the path, boots flopping on the dirt and gravel as his skin tingled with the negative thoughts and feelings of the Voice.

"What's bugging you?" Cissnei suddenly strode alongside him as he started up the Mt. Nibel path, moonlight shinning off the silver necklace peeking out from under his uniform and attached to the engagement ring bouncing against his chest. 

He needed to finish this mission, needed to return to his angel, and could not let that parasite get Cloud._ Don't let her _**_touch_**_ him._

"Cloud is in trouble," Zack frowned as he spoke, feeling disconnected from the speech tumbling out his mouth. "Maybe Tifa too." It wasn't what he meant to say, but he couldn't stop the outpouring of thoughts. Perhaps they weren't his own, originating from the Voice, but they felt so natural and aligned with his own feelings so well he didn't bother to fight them.

Cissnei scrutinized him before her lips slanted upwards. "Overprotective much?" She hummed, bemused. "I doubt any monsters will give them trouble as long as they're careful."

Zack stopped short and whirled on her. "You don't understand!" Cissnei leaned back from the venom lacing his tone. "Jenova _hates_ Cloud for defeatin-" Zack suddenly groaned, head bowing and clutching it as a migraine sent shivers of pain down his spine and caused him to stagger.

Cissnei called to him, but her words were indiscernible as what felt like a particularly vicious Tonberry stabbed his brain from the inside until it cracked open and white hot pain ravaged his skull. 

_Hello-ooo!_

A jovial voice, _the __Voice_, crackled and sparked like a broken transmission, hardly audible over the inferno in his brain.

_Hey, younger me! You finally getting this? Can you hear-_

Cool fingers padded on Zack's cheeks, thumb tracing his scar, and he opened his eyes to the doe-like brown ones on Cissnei's face. Her forehead wrinkled as she searched his expression and he raised his hands to set them atop hers, gently prying her off.

"Sorry, the Voice was messing with me." The Voice being their term for the foreign thoughts Zack and Cloud heard in the reactor, though everyone agreed they likely weren't hearing the same Voice. Who they were hearing, well, Zack was starting to get an idea.

Cissnei grew grim. "What did it say?"

Zack sighed and massaged his temples. "I'll tell you after we catch up to Cloud and Tifa. I'd rather not repeat myself."

They both knew that wasn't the whole truth, that he had no plans to tell anyone what he thought he heard, but Cissnei nodded and didn't question him again as they resumed their trek up the mountain path. Although she did shoot him looks whenever she thought him preoccupied. 

Wanting to clear the air, Zack batted a weakened Death Claw with the side of his buster sword, sending it tumbling over the mountain ledge, and asked, "So how is my marriage to Aerith going to impact the whole Turks watching her thing?"

Cissnei sprinted around another Death Claw, shuriken in hand, and sent a barrage of swift cuts to the back of the monster's pincers, severing three of them until the monster fell back with an unholy screech and perished. "I'm not sure." Cissnei stared up at the stars and shrugged. "The boss hasn't given new orders." 

Zack sped ahead, charging a trio of Bombs before they noticed him. He smashed them into the earth, killing one instantly, and ducked under a burst of flame before rapidly splicing the fiery duo with octoslash. "Care to speculate?" He huffed once they were down, resting his sword on his shoulder as he faced her.

Cissnei twirled, shuriken spinning through the air and heading for Zack's head, only to curve around the wide-eyed First and strike the not dead yet Bomb that been soaring towards him. As the monster fell to the earth, Cissnei caught her shuriken and walked up to the gaping Zack. "I guess we'll keep watching Aerith and indirectly watch you too." She bared her teeth in a feral smirk. "Looks like you could use a little Turk protection." She laughed as she passed him.

Zack blinked, then slumped and pouted at her. "Are you telling me some Turk might be hiding in my wedding cake? And they'll like pop out during the reception?" He tossed his hands in the air to emphasize his indignation.

Cissnei glanced back. "Only if you want me too." She winked. 

Zack stomped his foot. "Be serious!" The Turk kept walking so he whined. "Cissneiii!"

"Not my real name."

Zack recoiled, utter shock stamped across his face as Cissnei stopped and set her hands on her hips. "Maybe if you behave," her lips curled up on one side, "I'll tell you it one day."

"Wha-?!"

Cissnei giggled as she moved on and the First could only stare at her, wondering if one could ever truly understand what went on in a Turk's head. Though seeing Cissnei was no longer in his line of vision, he shook off the question and jogged ahead until she came into sight along with the mako rector in the distance.

"There was no sign of them on the path." Cissnei offered as they started up the reactor's metal staircase.

"Which means they're inside." Zack stepped up and tried the door. 

It didn't budge. 

He frowned. Cloud must have locked it, but why? Surely he knew a locked door couldn't slow down a SOLDIER. 

"Let me." Cissnei stepped up with a determined slant to her jawline and that was when they heard it.

The scream piercing the air.

Was that Tifa? Zack never got to ask as gunshots rang out behind the doorway. 

_She found them. Jenova found Cloud, she'll kill them! _

Cissnei leapt aside as Zack tore out his sword and swung at the door. The metal was red and steaming where it was cut diagonally and it crashed forward in two pieces with a clang. Zack leapt over the debris as another gunshot thundered in his eardrums and Cissnei wasn't too far behind while the First slid down the chain ladder and landed in a crouch.

A bullet came at him so quick he barely threw up his sword in time and Tifa shouted. "Stop, that's Zack!" 

The SOLDIER lowered his sword, holding it at ready while he entered the room. Tifa quickly jogged over and Cissnei came running to his side, yet Zack noticed neither, nor did he see the twisted scraps of metals at his feet. He ignored the pods that were dislodged and cracked, mako leaking out their exposed tubes and slathered all over the staircase, as he spotted Cloud standing in front of an undamaged pod on the lowest ledge. He growled at the pod's mako shine dyeing Cloud neon green while the boy held his injured arm close to his body. 

_Get him out! He's not safe here, she'll kill him!_

Zack ran up to Cloud so fast he must have blurred because Cloud jumped as he latched onto the cadet's shoulders. "Are you alright?" He didn't wait for a response before casting cure, frowning as more green glittered over Cloud.

"Um, yeah." The blond's eyes were glassy and wide. "It was just my arm." Somehow his eyes grew bigger. "W-where's Tifa?" He searched around Zack and the First let him go so he could run to the girls quietly conversing behind them.

Or at least they were quiet until Cloud reached Tifa and Cissnei shouted. "I-impossible! He's dead!"

Zack raised a brow, seeing the incredulity twisting the Turk's expression and was that..._reverence_ in her voice?

"Correction."

Zack threw himself in front of Cloud and raised his sword, glaring up the staircase.

"I _was_ dead." 

A man cloaked in crimson with eyes the shade of blood glided down the stairs, raven hair swaying and golden gauntlet gleaming burgundy under the overhead lights. Zack's hands tightened on his sword as the man stopped on their level and his clawed fingers clinked around his silver pistol while his eyes met Zack's mako blue.

"My name is Vincent Valentine," he cocked his gun. "Take me to Sephiroth." Vincent hissed. 

* * *

"Jenova isn't an Ancient." Cissnei crossed her arms, leaning against the library bookshelf. She appeared at ease, but her smile was rigid and her every move calculated. 

Maybe Sephiroth could tell too for he narrowed his eyes, standing tall behind the desk. "According to the research-"

"Then the research's wrong." Cissnei cut in and the two Nibelheimers gasped from the corner they occupied. He didn't blame them, not even President Shinra had the guts to defy the great Sephiroth.

"Or it's purposely unfactual, written to mislead." Vincent leaned against the library hall doorway, stance identical to Cissnei's. It seemed Turk mannerisms hadn't changed much over the decades, which was a crazy thought yet Zack's entire week been crazy sooo...

Sephiroth's eyes were slits as he appraised Vincent. Zack got the feeling the SOLDIER distrusted the ex-Turk even after Cissnei's, and Tseng's via the phone, vouching that the man looked identical to photos of the presumed dead Turk and was privy to details about the Department of Administrative Research only the real Vincent Valentine would know. It helped that the man's every move was Turk-like, from his graceful strides to his carefully sculpted apathy. 

Zack himself was won over when Cloud and Tifa said they wouldn't have survived at the reactor if Vincent had not helped them fight off the horde of monsters that erupted from their pods and swarmed the duo.

Maybe out of gratefulness alone, though Zack also _really_ didn't want to be caught in the crossfire of two Turks versus a SOLDIER elite, he said, "I think they're right, Seph." He approached the desk and tapped the black and white photo of the creepy, _parasite_ of a silver-haired woman floating in a tank, which Vincent procured while guarding the scientists assigned to the Jenova Project. "Aerith is an Ancient and she doesn't look anything like this. No bony, wing thingies sticking out her back or eyeballs on her chest."

The room hushed abruptly and Zack lifted his head, Tifa and Cloud staring back with weirded out expressions while the others remained stony.

Then it hit him and pink speckled Zack's cheeks as he squeaked. "N-not that I checked!" 

"We believe you." Cissnei dryly agreed, not at all reassuring before moving on. "So we agree Jenova isn't an Ancient, she's not Sephiroth's mother, and she's a threat to the town."

"You cannot prove she is not my mother." Sephiroth crossed his arms, looking wearier than Zack ever seen. "Tseng found no records of a Lucrecia Crescent."

"Considering my own 'death' was covered up, are you certain you can trust your father's words on your mother's identity?"

Sephiroth rounded on Vincent and was looming over him in two strides. "I am not proposing faith in Professor Hojo," the disdain dripped of the scientist's name like molten lava. "But tell me, why should I trust _you_?"

Vincent blinked slowly, seeming almost bored when Tifa stomped her foot. "He saved our lives!" She marched forward, Cloud's gentle call going unheard as she set her fists on her hips and scowled. "He might have saved the whole town from those Jenova monsters!" 

Sephiroth didn't look away from Vincent as he asked, "And who is to say he didn't summon those creatures just so he may defeat them and earn our trust?"

Zack bit his lip, having not considered that possibility, however, Vincent merely tipped his head and admitted. "You have every right to distrust me." Sephiroth shifted back, surprised though his feelings didn't show. 

"I could not save you or your mother and for those sins I must atone." Vincent's eyes burned into the general's. "Although, Professor Hojo is the one who turned his son into an experiment," Sephiroth tensed and the beginnings of a snarl stretched the skin of his face before he calmed. 

"He shot me for trying to stop him." Vincent's hand flexed as he growled. "And may very well have buried the mother of his child for simply wanting to hold her baby just once." Sephiroth flinched, stricken, and the rest of the room openly gasped. Zack felt sick and Cloud trembled while his face contorted from rage to pity, and settled on horror.

"Ask yourself, who sent you to Nibelheim, the place of your birth, and didn't bother to hide the evidence?"

Cissnei pushed off the shelf, revolted by the realization. No one told them to stay away from the mansion or to ignore the research within it. All the secrets Sephiroth may have sought to unearth his entire life were just waiting to be found in Nibelheim. 

"Who desired for you to find these lies and mistake them for truth?" Vincent's flat inflection dipped into quiet rage. "Who would savor your reaction, disregarding the potential loss of life, and observe you like some specimen?"

Sephiroth's chest rose and fell rapidly, hands grasping his head and eyes screwed shut. 

"You don't have to trust me." The ex-Turk surveyed the whole room, speaking to them all. "But you don't have to be a Turk to recognize a set-up for what it is."

Sephiroth's eyes popped open, facial muscles spasming as he exhaled a shaky breath. For a moment Sephiroth looked unhinged, wild, perhaps mad enough to set the town ablaze, but then there was breeze and Sephiroth was gone. 

Zack blinked, stunned as he always was upon witnessing Sephiroth's supernatural speed. The others were equally shocked, Tifa even asking Cloud if Sephiroth had teleported.

"I'll keep an eye on him." Vincent stood, and in a crimson flash, he was gone too.

Left behind was Tifa looking distressed, her hand curling over her heart, Cloud staring at the ground, expression hidden, Cissnei a stone statue, and Zack...

Zack was concerned.

* * *

Cloud tried not to worry as he stood on the porch of his childhood home, smoke graying his vision and the afterimages of an inferno layered over his house. The stench of decay and ash, _his mother's burning flesh_, was stronger than ever today. It was his own fault for thinking so much about Sephiroth, yet how could he not? The general had been missing since last night along with Vincent. 

Where could they be? The Shinra Mansion was vacant, no one in town seen the general, and neither Cissnei nor Zack saw him as they cleaned up the mess in the mako reactor. So where was the general? Was he on the verge of a breakdown? Was Vincent with him? And why did today feel so, so _wrong_?

"Don't worry so much." Zack clapped his shoulder, mouth curved up. "Cissnei's got the whole town bugged, Seph has gotta turn up soon."

"And when he does?"

"We'll talk, make sure he's okay, call in a ride back to Midgar, and then I'll destroy Jenova," his voice darkened on the last bit.

Cloud started to respond, but the door opened and Ma stood shorter than he remembered, her dress blue as the sky while her eyes grew huge. "Cloud?" she gasped, eyes misting over and a smile erupting across her rosy cheeks. 

"Mom." He smiled a little awkwardly until she caught his arms and guided him into a tender hug. His chin resting on her shoulder as he inhaled her mint tea aroma, Cloud wanted to cry because it been_ so long _and suddenly all his troubles were forgotten as he finally came home. 

At the dinner table, Zack was tame enough he didn't regret bringing him along, though he could have gone without the hair ruffling directly in front of his quietly amused mother. Or the, "Is that a marital ring?"

Zack beamed. "Oh, this?" He gladly showed off the silver band hanging of his chain necklace, which Cloud was seeing for the first time. Huh, could that be why Zack kept going into town all week? He was searching for a chain to put his ring on?

"It's actually an engagement ring from my angel Aerith." A dopey-lovesick expression spread over his face and he cheered. "We're going to have the biggest, awesomest wedding bash Midgar's ever seen once I'm back!" Of course this proclamation led to talk of Cloud's love life, or lack thereof. 

Regardless, the hour passed by too quickly and once it was time to go, Cloud hugged his mother hard, let her kiss burn his cheek, and shoved on his helmet before anyone could see the wet sheen over his eyes. 

"Your mom's nice and a great cook!" Zack nudged him as they rounded the water tower, but Cloud's throat was chock full of feelings and smoke so he just nodded.

The First's PHS beeped, making Cloud jump while Zack rushed to check it. The levity drained from his face. "Sephiroth is at the reactor, one of Cissnei's bugs picked up his voice there. Me and Cissnei are gonna talk to him." 

"I'll come with you."

"That's a bad idea and you know it."

Cloud shrunk at the reprimand, never having Zack upset with him. 

His anger faded fast and sympathy took its place. "I'm sorry, Cloud, but you know Jenova is there and wants you dead."

Cloud frowned. He was aware Jenova was after his blood. It wasn't hard to put together after he was electrocuted and swarmed in the reactor bearing her name, especially after Zack admitted his Voice heavily implied Jenova was an evil entity lurking in the reactor with a vendetta against Cloud. For what reason, both Zack and Cloud's Voice neglected to say. Really, Cloud's Voice hadn't made a peep since his rant to Sephiroth, except for that brief moment before Vincent showed up and Cloud and Tifa were surrounded by those monsters.

_I'm sorry, Zack, Aerith...Tifa. I thought I could save you this time._

The Voice had sounded as guilty as Cloud felt now. He never should have taken Tifa inside the reactor, it wasn't worth confirming Tifa was in the reactor once or _would_ be in the reactor one day as this was the future they were dealing with.

"I'll be back soon." Zack started to walk off, yet paused to toss back. "If you get bored, visit Tifa! I think she likes you." He smirked and Cloud would have scowled at him if he wasn't busy covering his blush.

It was only after Cloud calmed that he realized Zack distracted him and was now long gone.

Cloud didn't get to sulk properly as smoke tickled his nose and fire crackled in his brain. He sighed, sick and tired of being plagued by a future that was all but averted at this point. He trudged towards the inn and whipped out his PHS. He hadn't heard from Aerith all week and his calls weren't going through, but he promised to try so he selected her name off his contact list. He just started typing when the body hit him.

Cloud barely held onto his phone as the innkeeper fell into his arms, smelling of smoke and coughing out her lungs. It seemed she tripped until her head jerked up and her tear-streaked face cried. "Fire! It's on fire!"

Cloud figured he was imagining the "future" again, just like he been seeing afterimages of flames over the town all day when he looked up and saw the inn engulfed in blood red flames stretching up to the dark dusk sky and smoke billowing beside it. 

The inn keeper shook him, screaming at him to do something, but there was a crash as the fire burst out the inn windows and then Cloud was flying. His helmet cracked against solid wood, his body went numb, a man yelled, a baby wailed, and then Cloud was hit by something cold and flaky as his vision went black.

Cloud woke up hacking out decay-flavored water, skin bruised and blistered under his damp uniform. His helmet was missing, which explained why sweat coated his scalp and matted his hair to his head while heat shimmered in the air. He wheezed as a gust sprinkled ash over him and dug his nails into the damp dirt below to scrabble into a sitting position. 

Blackened stumps of wood and shards of melted glass littered the ground while skeletal structures of what were once homes and businesses encircled him. 

Yet the fire was gone.

Cloud was dumbstruck as he scanned the wreckage for twirling flames and bloody corpses, for a sky blotted out by smog and ashes, yet it was silent. Did he imagine the fire? No, no, the town was burnt to the ground, but why wasn't it still burning? And where were the bodies? Tifa screaming for vengeance and his mother's blood crying out from the earth?

He turned to his and Tifa's house and saw they were singed, windows busted and water puddled on their roofs, but not destroyed. What was this? Why was his house still standing? Where were the people, the fire, the pandemonium?!

Boots crunching through the dying embers and soot suddenly came his way. As the boots stopped beside him, Cloud's eyes trailed up the shoes and uniform until Sephiroth's impassive face stared him down. Cloud was speechless, joints frozen and tongue tied as Sephiroth reached down and pulled him by the elbow to his feet. Green light washed over Cloud, his cut skin stitching together and smoke addled lungs clearing, while Sephiroth lowered his cure materia. The general looked him over and hummed as if satisfied while the dam finally broke and Cloud screeched. "What did you do?!"

Sephiroth replied. "I set Nibelheim ablaze." Before Cloud could punch, scream, or run at him, Sephiroth continued. "Then I cast ice to settle the flames while Vincent led the townspeople to the trucks."

"T-trucks?!" Cloud's mind was exploding, his every thought chewed up and spat out wrong. "What are you talking about?!"

Sephiorth turned, and heading towards the Mt. Nibel path, said, "I will explain as we travel to the reactor."

Cloud didn't move, indecisive, but after a moment he stumbled and followed the SOLDIER up the stairs.

* * *

It turned out Sephiroth had been holed up in Tifa's house since last night. Tifa never found out, Sephiroth having talked to her father, the mayor, behind closed doors. The general requested the entire town be evacuated, telling Mayor Lockhart it was because the mako reactor was unstable, and while they could repair it, if anything went wrong there would be a chemical spill that would reach and destroy Nibelheim in less than a minute. 

"The mayor refused. He is stubborn like his daughter."

Cloud was too tired to agree, too tired to move, and yet here he was climbing Mt. Nibel once more. Heading straight to Jenova once more. 

To kill her once and for all.

"Ever since we arrived in Nibelheim, I felt like this area was familiar, that I been here before."

Cloud recalled the day they arrived, how Sephiroth stared out the inn window saying, "This landscape...I could swear I've seen it before."

In light of learning Sephiroth was born in Nibelheim, Cloud thought the man simply remembered his brief childhood here. Now it seemed Sephiroth, like Tifa, had been sensing the future.

"I started having visions after that day we were in the reactor. I saw images of me and fire, slaughter and madness. Learning about Jenova, and believing her my mother at the time, only furthered my belief I was a monster. It's why I disputed all of you for telling me she was not my mother. At that point, I simply could not view myself as anything but a monster birthed from two monstrous beings."

Sephiroth stopped on the ledge the rope bridge was formerly attached to. His head angled towards the night sky, the moonlight highlighted his gaunt and weary face. His body sagged, shoulder pauldrons acting like anchors on the man whose mind and heart been wrung too many times this week. Cloud wanted to pity him, but his emotional tank was on E and he just couldn't care.

Though this changed when Sephiroth turned to him and admitted, "I may never have saw reason if not for you." Cloud's breath hitched, eyes saucers from the appreciation warming Sephiroth's tone. "What you said in the reactor, Zack's words too. I owe you both."

Cloud, flattered, looked away while Sephiroth straightened and resumed walking. "After my failed attempt to evacuate the town, I located the Turk Valentine and told him my plan."

Sephiroth recorded his voice on his PHS and left it playing in the mako reactor. This led Zack and Cissnei away from the town while Sephiroth started the fire at the inn. 

"It was the only way to get the townspeople to safety in time before we deal with Jenova."

"Why couldn't it wait?" Cloud's voice hardened, him slowly accepting what he witnessed. His hometown was in pieces, his mother's life uprooted, and it was Sephiroth's fault. "We could have left and came bac-"

"Jenova would have been relocated by the time we returned." Sephiroth's eyes shined with rage. "She is a plague, a _monster_. Although I'm uncertain of the exact extent of her powers, based on her ability to summon monsters and order them to swarm you and Tifa, I assume she is highly dangerous. Therefore," the general hissed, "She must die tonight."

After Vincent gathered enough water and non-perishables to last the townsfolk for days, they loaded up a few stolen trucks and burned the town. Sephiroth didn't strike it all at once, giving people enough time to flee their homes while Master Zangan and a few others helped the elderly and young escape. Vincent then led the terrified townsfolk to the trucks, Cloud's mother and Tifa included, before the drivers headed to Rocket Town.

"At worst, some were injured and irreplaceable heirlooms were lost, however, once Shinra arrives we will begin the rebuilding process and the townspeople will eventually be returned to their newly-restored homes."

Cloud couldn't refute him, even the Voice agreed Jenova needed to be dealt with _now_. So Cloud followed Sephiroth into the reactor and ignored the adrenaline filling his veins as they entered the main room. 

Vincent had been talking to a grim faced Cissnei and Zack when they walked in, but Cloud stiffened upon spotting Tifa among them. He whipped around to Sephiroth, yet the man was already striding over to Tifa and asking, "Why are you here? I was told you departed with the others."

Tifa wilted under Sephiroth's glare, yet raised her fists, and determined scowl on her face, replied. "I need to see her die. I need to know Jenova won't ever hurt anybody again."

Sephiroth pulled back somewhat, surprised, while Zack marched over to him. "What were you thinking?!" The First jabbed a finger in the general's face, sounding frantic as he paced in tight circles and grasped his hair. "You set the town on fire, people could have died!"

"A necessary risk." Sephiroth crossed his arms.

Zack looked ready to scream, but the general held up his hand. "A town can be rebuilt, objects replaced, but a life lost is forever gone."

Zack stopped, then mouth twitching, his hands flew up and he cried. "Gaia! I want to be mad at you, but the stupid Voice in my head agrees!"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "Voice?"

Cissnei suddenly came between them, shaking her head. "No, no, we are not going through this _again_."

Cloud didn't know why she was upset, he was the one who had to explain the whole Planet visions deal _three_ times.

"Fine," Sephiroth dismissed. "I will hear the explanation after we destroy Jenova."

Zack balked. "How did you know we planned to burn her tonight?"

Sephiroth pulled out Masamune and it gleamed under the burgundy lights. "I did not, but I'm pleased we are in agreement." He waited for everyone to nod before storming up the staircase. 

Cloud felt a pang in his abdomen at the sight of Sephiroth wielding his sword since _Masamune ran him through and the agony was unending as Sephiroth raised his blade_, but the pain passed as Zack took out his buster sword and started up the stairs. Cissnei, shuriken in hand, and Vincent with his gun, followed while Cloud quickly chased after them so Tifa would have to trail behind the group. He didn't want her anywhere near Jenova, though since she was already here, the best he could do was shield her.

A hand brushed against his palm and Cloud stiffened as Tifa's fingers intertwined with his, but he didn't stop walking or look back. There was a stupid ridiculous smile on his face though as they reached the peak, and ducking his head to hide his blush, Cloud only heard the sonic boom as Sephiroth sliced through the locked doors. He and Tifa talked more in the past week than they ever did as kids, and even if their talks were always work-related, they felt personal. Maybe it was because they always sat or stood near enough to feel each other's body heat and sometimes if Cloud was lucky her hand would find his just like now.

"Well," Zack disrupted Cloud's daydream, his head cocking as he stared up the large red tube leading up to the silver statue of a woman with wings. "She's shinier than I expected."

"That's clearly not her, Zack." Cissnei huffed, though she was smiling. "It looks like a shrine, she must be behind it."

"Allow me." Sephiroth darted ahead so fast he created wind turbulence as Masamune cut through the shrine and the sound of wires snapping and electricity sizzling popped Cloud's ears. Though Tifa grounded him as she squeezed his palm, and he risked a peek at her.

Her eyes were fixed ahead, lush lips thinning while mako blue shone on her face as Jenova was finally revealed to them. Even glaring, Tifa was stunning and Cloud suddenly wanted to ask her to join him in Midgar. Not forever, just while Nibelheim was being rebuilt, and after that Cloud didn't know what would happen, but as long as Tifa was with him, everything would be perfect. 

"Stand back." Cloud turned forward as Sephiroth, holding Masamune in a two-handed grip, created a windstorm that made Cloud squint as the general swung at the entrapped creature.

"Cloud!"

Tifa's hand tore away and he whipped around in time to see Masamune slice across her chest, agony marring her face and blood raining in the air as she soared out the door. His scream cut off abruptly as a gloved hand wound around his neck and lifted him, Cloud kicking out and tugging at the noose while Zack shouted his name.

"I've waited _eons_ for this day." Cloud choked as Sephiroth, eyes iridescent green and smile showing teeth, turned him. "The day I make you suffer all over again."

He brought Masamune down on Cloud's head.

* * *

It took all of four seconds for Aerith to realize she was cold. Another two to recall Zack equaled warmth and the body she held radiated no such thing. It took no time at all to realize the man she held wasn't Zack.

She released him immediately and stepped back, blinking until the world didn't look like an oil painting, all the colors bleeding into each other and borders curving every which way. The black hair lightened, changed shape and gleamed silver, dark uniform morphed into plum purple, and sky blue vanished entirely. Soon Aerith was staring at a helmeted SOLDIER Second, indistinct from any other in his rank and fidgeting ever so slightly, no doubt discomforted by her over exuberant greeting. His unseen gaze swept over Aerith, taking in her rumpled dress and frizzy hair, and she batted away the urge to excuse her appearance.

"I-I'm sorry," her voice cracked while she commended herself for not falling apart on the spot. She thought Zack came home, for one glorious moment hope flowered in her heart and the end to her torment was within her grasp, but the moment came and went. Now she was freezing more than ever, sinking in the depths of a frozen lake with winter brewing in her lungs. 

Aerith couldn't stop her teeth from chattering as she said, "I thought you were someone else. Can I help you?" Wisps of frigid air tinged icicle blue escaped her mouth and her insides frosted over, snowflakes coating her heart.

The SOLDIER dipped his head. "It's fine," he grinned a sunny smile far too reminiscent of her Zack, setting her nerves on fire even as she was buried three feet under snow. "Actually I, well," he scratched the back of his neck, mulling over his words, then abruptly started over. "My name is Kunsel, I'm one of Zack's friends." 

"Oh." She squinted while forcing herself to remember memories of Zack, the gentle timbre of his voice whispering sweet nothings in her ear and rumbling laughter echoing up to the plate, until she recalled Kunsel's name leaving Zack's lips. "Yes, he's mentioned you." She pushed a polite pleasantness to the forefront of her expression, and it must have worked since Kunsel grinned.

"Great, it makes things easier if you know who I am." He stretched out his hand and let it hang until Aerith set her slim hand in his, finally remembering what a handshake involved after three beats.

"It's nice to meet you, Aerith." Mirth bubbled in Kunsel's voice as they shook. "Congratulations on the engagement. Wish I could have seen Zack's face when that happened." He suddenly leaned in conspiratorially and she imagined him winking beneath the helmet. "Tell me, did he faint or did smoke come out his ears as his brain short-circuited?"

Aerith laughed, short and sharp, before slapping her hands over her mouth. She frowned beneath them, eyes wide with shock. It been so long since anything amused her, been an eternity since she laughed. An eternity since Zack left.

Kunsel pulled back, sensing her need for space although the smile never left his lips. He gave her a minute to gather herself and she was as grateful as she was embarrassed that he witnessed her fragility. Then again, maybe that was why he made her laugh. He realized she could use one.

_"Kunsel doesn't miss a thing!" Zack cheered._

"So," the SOLDIER lightly interjected. "Are you busy tonight?"

No, she hadn't shown up for work all week, one more skipped night wouldn't kill her. 

She smiled at her private joke, though it stretched her dry lips. "I'm free. Do you have plans, Mr. SOLDIER?" The tease slithered out like a grease-covered snake, and a part of her thought she shouldn't have dared. The last time she teased somebody, he didn't come back, but inside spider web cracks were appearing all over the ice and she wanted it _gone gone gone_!

Kusnel's lips curled wryly as he offered his hand. "Well, I had plans to take my friend's girl out to this cafe so I could glean some juicy blackmail material off her to use against my pal during the wedding reception toast. Only thing is I'm not sure she'll come."

Aerith held up her hand and quickly grasped his so he wouldn't notice its trembling, and though he probably saw anyway, he didn't mention it. "Of course, she'll come. She needs some juicy details herself, one never knows when it might come in handy." She winked and the ice shattered, shards pooling in her belly.

Still her smirk matched Kunsel's as he led her out the church and dropped her hand. He was already talking about the cafe menu options and stepping down the stairs when Aerith frowned. She stared at the hand Kunsel had held, flexing it as she walked, and a crisp gust breezed through her lungs at the sight of it barren. 

Though, it was easy to ignore the cold nipping her fingers and toes once she got a steaming cup of tea in her hand and sat under the violet lights emitted by the tiny lightbulbs strung up around the cafe, dyeing Aerith's pink dress oceanic blue. They sat at a little table by the window, Kunsel sipping his expresso coffee as he mentioned having patrol later tonight and she stared down the chocolate muffin sitting by her teacup since Kunsel insisted the muffins here were to die for. She gulped a mouthful of tea and carefully bit into the sugary crust. Swallowing it together, the solid food didn't taste too bad, at least, it didn't taste like ash. 

"Good, right?" Kunsel asked between inhaling his coffee.

Aerith nodded, smiling, and the fakeness of it made her shiver as icicles gathered on her lashes. She wanted the cold gone already so asked, "You ever take that off?" She tapped her temple and Kunsel chuckled.

"Only for bed and sometimes on dates." He was grinning, although the words rang oddly true. "So," the grin faded as he tipped his head towards the window. "Just out of curiosity, are the Turks following me or you? To the left, in the pharmacy." He sipped his coffee while Aerith peered into the dark blue underworld of the slums and noticed flaming red hair atop a Turk slinking between the aisles of the pharmacy across the street. 

Aerith shrugged. "Probably me, since I am an Ancient." She sipped her tea and was unfazed by Kunsel nearly spitting out his drink. 

Silently she reveled in startling him, her own hot breaths billowing through her veins and warmth creeping in. 

"You're Iflana's daughter?!"

Now Aerith was the one choking down her tea before it could erupt from her mouth. She hadn't heard her biological mother's name in _years_ and certainly didn't expect a SOLDIER to know it. "How?!"

Kunsel calmed somewhat. "This guy in the science department I arrested tossed out her name. It got me curious so I did some research, found out Iflana wasn't alone during her..._stay_ at Shinra Headquarters." 

The tea cup clinked on the table and Aerith felt feverish, her palms sweating and face flush. She giggled to cover up the memories of captivity seeping in, letting the volume grow until the bleary-eyed cafe barista looked up from his dish washing. 

Kunsel's invisible gaze bored into her as she explained. "It's funny, I thought we were here to trade Zack's secrets, not our own."

Kunsel didn't respond for a while, likely still determining whether she was going to have a breakdown, but soon he smirked. "Zack has a girly blonde wig in his room that he won in some squatting competition and won't throw it away because he thinks if he ever has to disguise himself he could pull off a silk dress."

Aerith blinked, slowly drank the rest of her tea, carefully set down her cup, rose and said, "I think we should leave."

Kunsel chugged down his remaining coffee, stood and placed the mug on the table. "It must be killing you to hold it in." 

Aerith barely heard him as she stepped out the cafe and unladylike snorts busted out of her, cackles accompanning them. Even once she got a hold of herself, the occasional snicker slipped out and Kunsel was no help since he kept adding funny tidbits to the story. 

Her middle ached like she ran a marathon by the time she got home, SOLDIER in tow and staring past her house. 

"Those flowers are breathtaking." Kunsel smiled at her garden, then turning to her, said, "I saw your broken flower wagon in the church."

Aerith's blood ran cold and she internally whimpered over winter's return when Kunsel continued. "Zack made three flower wagons." The chill fled as her eyebrows leapt up. "He gave you the one he thought you'd most like and stored the other two in his room. I've got a spare key to his place, so if you want I could drop them off at your church. Say tomorrow evening?"

Aerith stared wide-eyed at the man, and though she was relieved he didn't offer to fix her decorated wagon since Zack was going to fix that _eventually_, she had to ask, "Why?"

Kunsel tilted his head towards her garden. "Zack said you sell flowers, I think Midgar could use them, and it would be easier for you to sell them with a wagon." 

It sounded logical, a simple list of facts, but Aerith's mind was clearer than it been in weeks so she picked up on the strain in Kunsel's voice. She noted the fact he only just met her, didn't seem to know much about her till tonight, yet was hanging outside her house like there was no place else he rather be. He could have gone drinking with his SOLDIER buddies above plate, could have took on extra assignments if he was bored, but instead he stuck around a broken young woman and tried to glue her back together.

For the first time it occurred to Aerith she wasn't the only one missing Zack, wasn't the only one seeking out the tiniest resemblance to her SOLDIER and clinging to it with all her might. Kunsel had done the same tonight, finding a piece of Zack in the girl he was engaged to, and she couldn't fault him for that.

Aerith nodded. "Yes, you can leave them at the church anytime." She beamed, hoping Kunsel understood he was welcomed at her church anytime too, for within the Second there was a little piece of Zack and she didn't want to let go either.

Kunsel's head bobbed. "They'll be there by noon." He started to leave. "See ya around, Aerith."

"See you, Kunsel." She waved from inside the doorway, living room light painting her dress sunny yellow. 

Her mom was staring as she shut the door, so Aerith mentioned making a new friend before skipping up the stairs. Once she was snug in bed, Aerith beamed at the ceiling. The cold, the _ice_, was gone, frigid temperature no match for the heatwave toasting her skin. Finally, for the first time in weeks, Aerith got to sleep bundled in warmth.

So of course the next morning she received word of Zack's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope it was a fun ride :D  
As always, feel free to comment or ask questions and thanks for all your support so far!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the grand finale of Rainfall Part 1!  
We're now about a third of the way through this story and I thank all of you readers for helping me make it this far <3

Zack reacted the fastest, flat side of his sword clashing with Masamune over Cloud's head.

Vibrations ran down his fingers, jarred his bones and wrenched his arms out their sockets, but somehow Zack kept up his sword. Maybe it was because his muscles remembered Sephiroth being_ lightning fast and every strike a hair's breadth from severing Zack's head_, but really it was probably because of Cloud. The blond's face was red going on purple, his sputters and croaks getting fainter and fainter as his oxygen depleted.

"You again, insect?"

Acid green eyes met his and _not_ Sephiroth smirked. It couldn't be the real Sephiroth, this _wasn't_ the Sephiroth he knew. The general's grin showed too much teeth, nothing like the little quirk of Seph's lips when he feigned annoyance, but was inwardly amused. And his eyes, those catty eyes were unadulterated _green_, pupils dilated in manic pleasure.

Zack bared his teeth at the impostor. "Let him go!" He shoved up, muscles straining, yet Masamune didn't budge.

Fear wracked his heart as Cloud ceased clawing at Sephiroth's hand, arms falling while the light in his blue eyes dimmed.

"Cloud!" Zack stared fearfully at the cadet and fake-Sephiroth laughed.

Zack gritted his teeth, glaring at the impostor as he dug his heels into the tube beneath him and gave it his all to force Sephiroth's sword up. Even when it didn't budge, Zack kept pushing because Cloud was dying. _Dying_. _I have to save him!_

A silver blur whizzed towards Sephiroth's legs and the general dodged it, leaping back while Zack took advantage of the First's distraction to shove Masamune aside.

The shuriken arched back to Cissnei's hand as she stood at the bottom of the red tube, fierce determination carved into her face while she held up her weapon.

Sephiroth ignored her as Vincent reentered the room, Zack having last seen the ex-Turk run out to catch Tifa. Whether the girl was alive or dead, Zack couldn't tell from Vincent's cool expression while he aimed his gun at Sephiroth's head, nor could he dwell on it as Cloud hung limp in Sephiroth's grasp.

"So you are here as well." Not-Sephiroth chuckled, glare sliding down to the unconscious infantryman. "Now you get to watch me kill one more of these insects you cherish."

The corners of the room blurred, Zack's vision going red at the sight of Sephiroth sneering at Cloud's limp body. The impostor noticed, Sephiroth's grip slackening just enough for Cloud to breathe while something snapped in Zack's chest and he growled. "Jenova!"

Sephiroth scoffed, and Cissnei seeing this as an opening, hurled her shuriken at Sephiroth's back while Vincent shot at his feet, yet Sephiroth's arm blurred, his katana blocking the bullets as something tall and feathery erupted from his back, knocking the shuriken away. It took a second to register there was a black _wing_ sticking out of Sephiroth's backside as the shuriken lodged itself in Jenova's container, fracturing the glass.

Cissnei gasped, Vincent's eyes narrowed and Zack tensed.

"I am no Jenova." Sephiroth smirked and waved a hand over himself. "Although, I am certain Jenova holds some sway over this body, for why else would your Sephiroth send all the other townspeople to safety except this inferior dullard?" He shook Cloud while Zack's rage ebbed into shock.

"You..." Zack exhaled breathily, eyes widening. "You're the Sephiroth from the future!"

Sephiroth's brow rose, impressed. "And you are not as foolish as the original Fair, though tell me-"

"Look out!" Cissnei cried, but their swords were already clashing, white sparks blinding Zack as he struggled to hold back Future-Sephiroth.

"Will you die as easily as him?" Sephiroth smirked, and to Zack's horror, tossed Cloud aside towards the mako pools below.

"No!" Zack watched the blond plummet to the lower levels and it costed him, Sephiroth successfully ramming him back.

The First shouted, flying into the smaller body behind him, and Cissnei cried out as she was sent tumbling out the room. Yet Zack couldn't so much as face her before Sephiroth struck the air, producing a wave of white-hot energy that surged towards him. The First yelled when the energy struck his torso and knocked him over the edge. He fell upside down to the reactor's sub level, barely twisting himself upright in time to land in a crouch on the glass platform below.

Zack grunted as he straightened, and tensed upon hearing footsteps tapping along the floor, only for his heart to ease at the sight of Vincent before him with Cloud hanging off his side. "You caught him?"

Vincent nodded and Zack hurriedly cast cura on the boy, bruises vanishing from Cloud's neck though his eyes remained close. A black feather floating down between them cut off any chance of conversation as Vincent and Zack leapt left, Sephiroth floating down to the spot they had occupied.

Zack swiftly raised his sword in front of them. "Get Cloud out of here!"

Sephiroth's lips curled as he watched Vincent leap into the air with Cloud, but did not give chase as his focus returned to Zack. "That won't save him." He smirked. "Just like nothing can save you." He shifted to a two-handed hold and leveled Masamune at Zack's neck.

Zack's own grip tightened. "Even if you are the Sephiroth of the future," his eyes narrowed. "You're not the Sephiroth of now, which means you've hijacked my friend's body." Future-Sephiroth sneered and fury darkened Zack's face. "And I'm getting him back!"

With a battle cry Zack lunged, buster sword slicing down at Sephiroth's wing.

* * *

Aerith was angry at first. Seeing all those fangirls crying over _her_ Zack, as if they _knew_ him. As if his eyes lit up at the sight of _them_ in pink, freedom tingling their tongues and strong arms twined around their hips. As if they tasted his kiss, honey and spice bearing down on their lips, smearing their gloss and spreading glitter to their cheeks.

She wanted the anger to fester, to keep her blood hot, but as she scrolled through the fan club message board and read the honest anecdotes:

_He always smiled at me and the other lobby receptionists,_

_I never gave up on my dream because of his speech,_

_He saved me from monsters and wouldn't accept any payment,_

_Zack Fair was my hero..._

Aerith ended up smiling at her phone, a happy tear running down her cheek and a watery chuckle escaping her. It didn't matter if these people actually met Zack or watched him from afar, their admiration was genuine, their _sorrow_ was genuine.

They were wrong of course, Zack was _not_ dead, but she couldn't tell them that and expect them to believe her. Still, she pitied them, yearned to help them move on. It was agony being trapped by one's own despair, Aerith knew, so she typed.

_Subject: Honoring Zack Fair_

_From: Lilyan Rose (Official Club Member)_

_To all those seeking to pay their respects to Zack Fair, you are invited to attend his memorial service at the Sector 5 slum church from 5-6pm this Friday. Spread the word of this event so all those interested may attend, and feel free to prepare speeches and bring flowers in Zack's honor._

_Plastic flowers can be found at most item shops, however, if you want real flowers, please see the flower girl on the corner of Loveless Avenue. She sells there Monday-Friday from 8am-12pm and at the Sector 6 slum park between 3-7pm. Prices are 1 gil per flower and 7 gil per bouquet._

_I hope to see you all there!_

Aerith read the message, nodded, hit send, and got to work.

* * *

Every strike was lightning.

The atmosphere crackled and oxygen atoms ruptured as Sephiroth's katana cut through the air. Regardless of their blades connecting or not, Masamune sang like a thunder clap, leaving Zack deaf to everything save his ragged breaths.

He tried putting some distance between them, casting fire on the silver-haired demon, but didn't even singe the ends of Sephiroth's hair as the man seemed to teleport behind him. Zack swiftly ducked the blade thrust towards his neck, ignoring how the katana chopped off tufts of his bang, and launched himself up, sword falling down on Sephiroth's shoulder.

The man evaded and Zack hurriedly cast cura upon himself when a green halo illuminated the general's body. He was only given time to notice Sephiroth's two-handed grip on Masamune prior to a flurry of silver rushing towards him. Zack wielded his sword like a shield, yet the force behind the strikes propelled him into the air. He barely oriented himself when he glimpsed black feathers and Sephiroth struck him from above, younger First crying out as he smashed into the glass below.

Zack swiftly hopped to his feet, but there was a sharp cracking noise beneath him. He looked down right as the floor shattered and he entered a free fall. The First caught the rim of the bridge that been under the glass platform and flung himself up.

Yet the beast was upon him, Future-Sephiroth smirking in Zack's face as the buster sword flew in front of him not fast enough to stop Masamune from impaling his shoulder. He bit back a yell and twisted away, landing less than gracefully on the bridge edge. Sephiroth drifted down across him, flexing his black wing while blood streamed down Zack's arm and cooled his overheated skin.

The First forced himself to lift his sword, knowing there was nothing save a deadly mako bath awaiting him if Sephiroth managed to push him back. He didn't dare try casting cura since his SOLDIER body was already healing, though his enhancements did nothing to diminish the pain. Every breath felt like swallowing razors and sweat stung his eyes like acid. He wondered if the others were faring better, if Tifa and Cissnei were okay. What about Cloud? And Vincent too?

"The original Fair proved a far better diversion than you." Future-Seph taunted, skin unmarred by sweat or injury.

It wasn't a just comparison. Not only was Future-Sephiroth more experienced, but he fought and likely beaten a Zack Fair before while Zack had never engaged a Sephiroth outside of a simulation. Really, this Sephiroth probably knew all of Zack's moves before even Zack did.

Sephiroth's eyes lit up, green eyes bright as he grinned. "I was going to kill you in front of Strife." Zack exhaled through his teeth, yet was too winded to retort. "Make him watch you die all over again..." Zack gagged at the image conjured up, and distracted, only heard the sonic boom prior to seeing the winged-man suddenly a foot away. "But I suppose showing him your corpse will suffice."

Zack screamed as Masamune sliced into his side, tearing through rib bones and flesh while hurling him high into the air. He screamed again as he landed on the metal platform before Jenova, shattered ribcage stabbing his organs and splicing his veins. He tried pushing himself up, hearing a Voice in the distance, _You okay?!_, but then Sephiroth was looming over him and his buster sword was nowhere to be seen. The general's lips moved as he mocked Zack, yet he couldn't make out the words before Masamune plunged down.

Zack choked as it pierced his chest, splicing bone from marrow, and there was definitely someone screaming or was that himself? He didn't know anymore, everything was black and he couldn't even feel his heartbeat or the blood gushing out his chest as the katana tore free of his torso.

Zack wasn't dead. No, he knew what dead felt like and this wasn't it, but he also knew what dying felt like and this...

This certainly was that.

* * *

"Oh, no, nononono." Aerith's head shook, hands cupping her horrified face and nails digging into her cheeks as she gazed at the church garden.

Once green leaves were brown and wrinkled, petals dull or missing while some flowers lied on the dirt, black and rotting. Her garden, her _precious_ garden was _dead_. What had she done?!

Tears flooded Aerith's eyes as she sunk to her knees, quivering arm reaching out to a sickly daffodil and hand fingering its stem. A petal snapped off, fluttering to the earth and a choked wail burst out of her lungs. Her spirit caved into itself and she bowed her head, hands clasping her shoulders as she hugged herself.

She never noticed her flowers dying. It wasn't until this morning she bothered to look at the ones outside her house and saw their withered appearance. Her mother must have been watering them, sparing her house flowers from the horror her church flowers endured.

This was terrible. She promised the entirety of Zack's fan club she would be flower-selling ready by Monday, thought two days was plenty of time to reverse any damage incurred by her negligence, but this...this would take a miracle.

Aerith's teeth clacked together, a sudden ferocity boiling under her skin as her face tilted towards the sun, tears streaming from her eyes as she banged a fist on the floor.

No, there wasn't time to wait for a miracle. Waiting didn't get anybody anywhere.

Waiting didn't bring Zack back.

Aerith got up, scrubbing the tears from her eyes. Her flowers needed her, needed her to get to _work_. Aerith was going to fix this mess, hold nothing back and spend all night if she had to cultivating these flowers.

Aerith regarded the flowerbed, forcing herself to examine the decimated garden, and quietly accepted some flowers were simply unsalvageable.

So she uprooted all plants devoid of green and piled their carcasses on the front pew.

She hunted down the sickly and spoiled them rotten, her fingers massaging their roots.

She went shopping and returned to scatter nutrients across the soil before replanting the flowers, the Planet kindly sprinkling rain on them while Aerith took a break.

Then she got down on her knees and willed life into Midgar's dead earth. It was instinct, her soul calling to the Planet and begging for the soil's stilled heart to beat once more. It was energy consuming, requiring much focus and even more time than usual since her garden was in such dire straits.

So maybe that was why she fainted halfway through the process.

When Aerith woke up, she was sitting in a pew with a fluffy blue blanket pulled up to her shoulders. The dead flowers were missing without a trace and in front of her were two flower wagons, one a simple brown cart and the other a metallic monstrosity gleaming in the sunlight.

Aerith blinked, blanket sliding into her lap as she leaned towards the wagons and discovered a paper bag in the plain one. After fishing inside, she pulled out a chocolate muffin as well as chamomile tea in a styrofoam cup.

She checked her PHS to confirm the sender's identity.

_Subject: Special Delivery_

_From: Kunsel_

_I noticed you didn't finish your muffin yesterday so I bought you a new one, my treat :)_

Aerith smiled, tucked her phone away and leaned back. Taking a sip of her tea, warmth filled her belly and ran up her veins while she watched her flowers stretch up towards the sun.

* * *

Bright light cut through the black and Zack shut his eyes against the intensity, hand shielding his vision until it dimmed. Timidly he peeked out one eye, and his jaw hit the floor, eyes fully opening at the sight of a pure white world. No colors or lines, no way to discern between up and down, earth and sky.

He quickly looked down, patting his front, and while it was reassuring to see black boots and gloved hands, he couldn't tell what he was standing on or _if_ there even was a floor. Hmm, maybe he was floating. His body did feel light and airy, which made no sense considering the last thing he saw was Future-Sephiroth stabbing him and oh...oh, man, he was dead, wasn't he?

"No."

Zack stiffened, suddenly sensing a presence behind him.

"You're not dead."

Zack heard the smile in the other's tone, easily picturing the slanted upturn of the man's lips. His gaze dropped to the ground, and it was unsurprising he couldn't find his or the presence's shadow since darkness didn't seem to exist in this realm. Still, Zack refused to turn or search for explicit confirmation for what he knew to be true.

The presence chuckled and it was oh, so easy to picture the guy wagging his pointer finger as he said, "Come on, younger me. I know people compare us to a puppy a lot, but I don't actually bite."

Zack's hands balled up at the discording feeling of hearing his own voice speak without his input, much like experiencing a Planet vision except his own lips were pressed shut as he slowly, ridiculously slowly, angled his head back until he faced his grinning mirror image.

Future-Zack winked. "Now was that so hard?"

Zack fully turned to his older self, stepping back with wide eyes. "Y-you're me, my future self."

Older him flapped his hand side-to-side. "Ehhh, kinda, but it's a bit more complicated than that."

Zack couldn't think straight, jaw still on the floor and body on auto as he muttered. "But I thought you were..." He realized how insensitive it was to bring up his future self's death so his mouth clamped shut, yet Future-Zack smirked.

"Dead?"

Zack turned away, growing more and more apprehensive because he was discussing his own death with his future self who was like a time traveling, dead guy and this was _really_ weird!

Future-him crossed his arms, looking off to the side, and sighed. "Yeah, that's complicated too." His eyes drew down, and wow, no wonder nobody could resist his kicked-puppy look.

Even Zack felt the instinctual desire to cheer up the guy so he asked, "How are we talking like this?" He gestured around. "And where is this?"

Future-Zack turned to him. "Like I said, it's a bit complicated, but the best answer I can give you is we're currently in your head," he tapped his temple, "Which is where I've been for the past three weeks or so."

Zack's forehead scrunched up. "Is that why I've been hearing your thoughts and sharing your feelings? Like when I first entered the reactor?"

"Mhm!" Older Zack nodded. "Same thing's been happening to Cloud, Tifa, Vincent..." His face hardened. "Sephiroth."

Zack's expression mirrored Older Zack's. "That's how Future-Seph took over present Seph's body, he's in Sephiroth's head." Further realization washed over him. "Wait, is that what's happening? Our future selves are taking over us?"

Older Zack quickly shook his head, emphatic. "No, you've got it all wrong." Zack calmed, reassured no version of him could be so cruel. "What Sephiroth has done to his past self isn't right." His voice lowered. "It's _you_ that should be taking over _us_."

Zack recoiled. "What?!"

Future-him smiled sadly. "Remember how I said it's complicated? Well, I'm not actually you or your future self, I'm more of another version of you from an alternate timeline."

Zack's brain exploded, and dazed, he mumbled. "Explain."

Future-Zack chuckled. "Don't break your head now, since that is what were in." His smile fell away. "So I am Zack Fair, in fact I'm the _original_ Zack Fair, the first one to ever come into existence twenty-three years ago. You are also a Zack Fair, but you haven't existed as long as me." He scratched his head. "I think the Planet said your world only popped up a few years ago."

Zack raised a brow. "But I'm eighteen."

His other self amended. "No, I meant a few years from my perspective. See, our worlds run on different clocks, so what was five years ago to me was eighteen years for you."

"Time runs faster in my world?" Zack pinched the bridge of his nose when his other self nodded. "I'm starting to regret asking."

Older Zack smiled wickedly. "Too late for refunds, buddy." Zack groaned as his other self continued. "So five years ago your timeline was born, and nobody is sure how or why, but that's not important. Really, you guys didn't become important to the people in my timeline until recently."

Zack pouted, crossing his arms. "Gee, thanks."

His other self grinned. "No offense, but your existence didn't really matter at first, it didn't use to affect us."

Zack sobered, reading between the lines. "But we've started affecting you?"

Other Zack nodded. "May of last year, the Planet noticed your world was starting to touch ours. We thought it was odd, but it didn't seem to affect us until September."

He trailed off, solemn, so Zack softly prompted. "What happened?"

Original Zack shut his eyes and suddenly looked very old once they opened. "Our world started disappearing."

Zack's breath hitched, horror bleaching his face paper white.

"It wasn't so bad at first, we just started losing some memories, but then people started disappearing and most of the world forgot they ever even existed." His breath shuddered, and teeth gritted, his hands balled into fists. "I can barely remember Angeal."

"Who?" Zack blurted before he could stop himself and Other Zack sent him a broken smile.

"Angeal was my mentor in the SOLDIER program. He gave me the buster sword, I think." He frowned, uncertain. "Like I said, most of the memory is gone. That's why whenever my memories leaked into your head they were fragmented."

Zack threw up his hand. "Hold on, you mean those visions of me-_us_ dying on that cliff weren't from the Planet?"

Older Zack nodded and the younger mulled it over. That actually made sense. The Planet visions always felt so real...because they weren't visions at all, rather they were memories.

Feeling like he was on a roll, Zack asked, "And the Planet Messages, they-"

"Weren't from the Planet either." Older Zack cheered. "You can blame Aerith, _my_ Aerith." His smile softened while Zack recalled Cloud saying the Planet sounded kind of feminine, no wonder since it was Other Aerith speaking all along.

"She thought she could lend you guys a hand by giving your Aerith some warnings. The rest of us would have too, but it's hard to communicate with people in this timeline unless you're an Ancient."

Zack frowned. "If it's hard just to communicate, how did you get inside my head?"

"Like I said, my world started disappearing in September." Zack straightened though his original self spoke nonchalantly. "And the Planet estimated by March your world would overtake ours entirely."

The younger First wilted, depressed and confused by the news.

"There was nothing we could do to stop it, so we decided to make the best of it." Original Zack's eyes grew tender as he said, "My Aerith worked with the Planet to save as many as she could." He gestured to the white space around them. "Before our world disappeared, Aerith found a way to transfer my conscious into your body. She did the same to Cloud, Tifa, and the rest of Cloud's friends while the Planet rescued people like Tseng and Rufus."

Zack cocked his head. "So you guys transferred your conscious into the alternate versions of yourselves living in my world?"

"Yes, that's why I'm technically not your future self." Original Zack shook his head. "This isn't my world, it's _yours_," his gaze bored into Zack's. "Which means what my life was doesn't have to be what your life will be." He turned away. "Though there are a lot of similarities between us, after today, I doubt you'll continue following my footsteps so closely."

Zack ran a hand through his hair, mind on the fritz. "So, you're the Zack who lived and died in the original timeline, but then my timeline, an alternate world, showed up five years ago and it started overtaking yours back in September. This made your world disappear and the only way to save you and the others was to send you guys into your alternate selves, AKA the versions of you living in my world."

Original Zack clapped. "Yup. It was pretty tricky though, when we had to send over people who exist in my world, but don't exist in yours."

"Like who?"

Other Zack shrugged. "Cissnei, Kunsel, etcetera."

Zack's eyes popped. "You mean Kunsel and Cissnei weren't originally in my timeline? Your Planet sent them here?!"

"Yup!" Older Zack grinned. "Saving them took some work, but eventually the Planet managed to combine their existence with people similar to them, who already exist in your world."

Zack felt like he took a mallet to his brain or maybe a whole mountain dropping on him would more accurately describe his feelings. Yet, it made sense. No wonder Cissnei never heard a Voice or got feelings from the future like Cloud and Tifa. Cissnei didn't have an alternate self camping out in her head like the rest of them.

"So," Other Zack asked, "That answer all your questions?"

Zack started bobbing his head, yet stopped and frowned. "You still haven't explained what you meant about us taking over."

Trepidation trickled into his heart as Original Zack grinned. "This is your life, not mine." His smiled broadened. "We aren't meant to be talking like this, Zack Fair isn't meant to be two people." He held up two fingers then brought down one.

Zack pointed to himself, frown deepening. "You mean only I'm supposed to exist?"

"Yeah." His other self shrugged. "I can't say it's what I prefer, but it wouldn't be fair for us to continue like this, my feelings and thoughts influencing yours." Earnestly he sought Zack's eyes. "You deserve to be your own person." He sighed, looking down. "Sephiroth didn't get that, neither does Jenova, that's why when they found their way to your timeline they took over their younger selves." He closed his eyes. "But I've accepted it, so did Aerith and Cloud and the others." His sky blue eyes burned into Zack's. "We have to let you guys take over as the dominant conscious, we have to fade away."

"No." Zack shook his head, tremor in his voice. "I don't want-"

"Doesn't matter." His older self cut in, not unkindly. "The Planet has already sent us on the path to a full blown convergence. Besides Sephiroth and Jenova, I'm the only one left whose hasn't fully integrated into my younger self's conscious."

Zack stepped forward, desperately demanding. "Why?"

"I guess," Original Zack stared up at the white sky. "I wanna make sure history doesn't repeat itself."

"Huh?"

Original Zack grinned at him. "Don't you remember, silly?" His smile sharpened. "You're dying."

* * *

Cloud woke up to a muttered curse and a potent toxin tinting the air. His eyes cracked open and he saw a blurry, black figure darting around, pausing once to cast a green glow over something beside him. He weakly turned his head, vision clearing as he regarded the raven-haired girl propped against the wall next to him, her body trembling.

Ti...Tifa?

Alarm jump-started the rest of Cloud's senses and the boy quickly sat up, blood pressure sky rocketing as he took in the chaos around him.

Was...was this a _nightmare? _The same monsters that attacked him and Tifa in the reactor were loose and had them surrounded. Broken glass and warped metal littered the floor. Glowing mako saturated the steps and puddled around the ruptured pods. Tifa and him were safely tucked against the wall by the door, but Cissnei and Vincent were trapped in the heat of battle.

The Turk was limping, her shuriken spinning and striking the mako monsters from a distance. Although when one got too close, the woman was forced to dodge. As she leapt and teetered upon landing, she gritted her teeth and shouted from a combo of pain and rage while stabbing her spiked shuriken into the monster's throat. The creature screeched, mako leaking from its wound, yet Cissnei kneed it in the gut and it collapsed. She stomped on its chest and kept hacking at its throat until it stilled while Cloud turned away, not wanting to see its severed head.

Up the staircase a crimson blur fired his gun at the monsters. Vincent was everywhere at once, the stairs, the top floor, at Cissnei's side. Cloud heard the gunshots and saw the mako monsters dropping dead or dying, but didn't see the man who felled them until Vincent paused to reload.

It was pretty obvious if the monsters weren't so thick-skinned they wouldn't even be an issue for the Turk duo.

"You're awake."

Cloud started, head whipping up to see Cissnei hobbling back to him, not taking her eyes off her weapon as it returned to her hand. "You need to get her out of here." She pointed at Tifa while slinging her shuriken back into the fray before casting cure over the younger girl once more. Only then did Cloud notice the blood staining Tifa's front, scarlet spot growing. She was bleeding out _badly_, enough that even a Hi-Potion wouldn't save her. She needed a doctor _now_.

"But what about Zack?" Cloud got to his knees, gently tugging Tifa into his arms.

"Leave his safety to me." Cissnei regarded him, brown eyes sad yet determined. "Before this mission, Tseng said, 'You're going to save Zack's life.' Those are my orders, and I am a Turk, so I always follow orders no matter what!" She raised her shuriken and cast cure on Tifa again before looking Cloud in the eye. "Go!"

Cloud needed no more prompting as he scooped Tifa into his arms and tried not to jostle her while fleeing out the door. As he awkwardly climbed up the chain ladder, Tifa slung over his shoulder, he caught the faintest whisper.

"I haven't even told him my real name."

Cloud grimaced, knowing the Turk was sincere, yet unable to stop worrying. Sephiroth was in there with Zack, having lost his mind or been taken over by some malevolent entity. Cissnei and Vincent were alright for now, most mako monsters already dead, but even if they aided Zack, would that really be enough to defeat the great Sephiroth?

Tifa didn't make a sound as he landed on the metal platform and transferred her to his arms. His breath hitched at the sight of her torn shirt and the severed skin tissue soaked with blood beneath it. Could he actually save her? What if he wasn't strong en-

No. He didn't have time to put himself down. Keep moving. _Save her._

Cloud sped out the door and sprinted into the brisk night air.

He rushed down the mountain side.

He ran past monsters.

He dodged pincers and flames.

He shielded Tifa with his body when he couldn't.

He reached the burnt remains of town and collapsed on his ashen house porch. His body was trembling and numb, which didn't make sense until he looked down and saw the tattered fabric of his uniform. Blood coated his back and he felt the wind cutting into the exposed, gnarled flesh there. He was also dizzy, which was why when he fished a potion out his pocket, he almost used it on himself prior to remembering the girl cradled in his arms.

He didn't think twice before dumping the potion on her chest and smiled upon seeing the skin mending together as green wisps glittered around her injury. After that Cloud blanked, and body tremors worsening, slumped against the porch pillar.

He didn't know what to do now, didn't know where to go or if he should go. Tifa was getting worse, her chest rising and falling rapidly like she couldn't get enough air and making a rattling sound every time she inhaled. Wasn't that a sign of blood in her lungs? Of internal bleeding? Cloud wasn't sure, wasn't a doctor. The only medical doctor in Nibelheim left with the others and all the medical supplies been burned up in the fire, but Tifa was dying, and the next town was miles away yet Cloud, failure that he was, wouldn't make it that far even if he were walking alone, and Tifa was _dying,_ and Cloud was scared.

His home was in pieces, his hero gone mad, Tifa was on death's door and Zack might be too.

Cloud's throat clogged up and tears welled in the corner of his eyes. What if Sephiroth killed Zack? What if he killed them all? Maybe the man was already on his way here to kill Cloud, force him to watch Tifa die slow-

"C-Cloud?"

He stiffened, gasping as he took in Tifa's half-lidded eyes focusing on him.

"Yeah, it's me." Gently he cupped her face, uncertain if it was appropriate and ready to pull back, yet Tifa leaned into his palm and smiled, so he relaxed.

"You..." Her voice was faint so he leaned in to hear better. "You kept our promise." His eyes widened. "You really came when I was in a pinch."

She smiled tenderly at him, and it hurt when Cloud had to turn away from her brilliance, jaw clenching. "I'm sorry," he grounded out. "It's my fault you got hurt." His voice shook as self-loathing filled him, but then a cotton soft hand slid over his and he looked down to see Tifa lacing their fingers together.

"It's alright, Cloud." Her eyes fluttered, drooping despite her efforts, yet he saw the sincerity there. Maybe she was delirious, maybe she would blame him once she recovered, but in this moment she _didn't_ hate him. Maybe she never hated him, even back when he failed her after her mother died.

Emboldened by the possibility, Cloud whispered. "Tifa..." He waited for her eyes to refocus on him, though they were hazy. "No matter what happens, I'll see you...in Midgar." His face hardened. "Remember, _Midgar_. I'll meet you there."

Tifa exhaled what was nearly a laugh. "P-promise?"

Cloud just smiled, squeezing her hand as her eyes dropped close. Gently he set her against the porch pillar, released her hand and stood. He allowed himself a moment to memorize every crevice of her face, her dark bangs swaying in the breeze and silver earrings glistening in the moonlight.

Then he ran.

Up the steps, up the mountain, and down the reactor shaft.

He stopped in the doorway, chest heaving and breath catching at the sight of the general sitting sideways on the top of the staircase. Sephiroth's arm was resting on a propped knee while his right leg rested on a lower step. His silver hair moved slightly as black and gray winds rustled it, drifting out Jenova's room, which was on fire. The lighting from the flames danced on Sephiroth's face, ruby and saffron highlighting the dark rings around the general's eyes as well as his predatory expression.

That would have been intimidating enough, but the man's apathy to the carnage and destruction didn't help. Especially since Zack was lying on the lowest level, blood beneath his body spilling onto the staircase under his head, too _too_ much like the vision of his death, yet Cloud couldn't dwell on that as there was another body set across the First.

Cissnei lied on the same level, on her back with her shuriken sticking out her chest. Her face was turned away from Cloud, but it was obvious she was dead, chest unmoving and blood matting her curls.

Then there was Vincent, lying further up in the crushed remains of a pod. It looked like he had been thrown in, limbs akimbo and hands splayed open with his gun on the floor amongst the wreckage. His back was to Cloud, but he was clearly dead or unconscious like Zack, either way leaving Cloud alone with the monster.

Sephiroth stared blankly at the wall, inferno raging behind him as he said, "I knew you would come back." His lips curled up. "You cherish these inferiors too much." Slowly his glowing green eyes fell on Cloud and the cadet trembled under the weight of hate and sadistic pleasure burning within them.

"W-why?" Cloud finally found his voice, fighting the urge to flee. "Why did you burn Jenova?" His eyes flicked towards the flames.

The man chuckled lowly. "My mother outlived her usefulness once you departed." He hummed. "And I rather not have her interfere with my plans this time around."

"What plans?"

Cloud regretted asking when Sephiroth got up and smirked. "Destroying you of course." He tore out his sword and the flames dyed the blade red as he seethed. "Useless puppet."

* * *

Aerith made sure to eat a hearty breakfast before entering the church, only to be dismayed upon finding her newborn flowers yet to bloom. To be fair, they only been planted two days ago and it was great progress for them to have sprouted and budded already. Typically it took a week if not several weeks for that to happen. However, today was Monday and she didn't have time to care for them beyond the usual.

She did so, examined the result of her ministrations, and quickly decided her house flowers would sell better.

She wheeled her new flower wagon home. The cart wasn't as pretty as the first, but Kunsel did a great job beautifying it. She hadn't asked him to, yet somehow Kunsel figured out she preferred the prettier things in life, and as a result, Aerith found the plain wagon newly-decorated yesterday morning.

It was painted pink like her bow, a fact which made her smile, while realistic portraits of flower tops were drawn atop the pink. The wheels and trims were now baby blue while silver glitter was sprinkled over the whole cart, making it twinkle in the sunlight as Aerith parked it in front of her house and hurriedly plucked the healthiest-looking flowers from her garden. She had spoiled them like she spoiled her church flowers this weekend, and since the damage hadn't been nearly as extensive here, these flowers recovered better.

Soon Aerith finished wrapping them in plastic for bouquets and setting single flowers in metal pails, so made her way to the train station. It didn't bother her to picture the blue sky awaiting her above since Tseng was trailing her, as all she really needed was a familiar face to center her in face of the endless blue.

Still, she ducked her head before strolling out into the sunlit over world and didn't dare look up until she reached the Loveless Theater. She reluctantly peeked up to locate Tseng, who was oddly conspicuous on a park bench down the street. Did he know of her fear? Was he trying to help?

It wouldn't surprise her, Turks were a rather observant bunch.

Aerith took a deep breath and sighed slowly, steadying herself prior to lifting her head. She was greeted by congested streets as well as an infinite blue horizon. Her heart raced and mouth dried, yet Aerith forced a smile when a trio of smartly-dressed women in pencil skirts came over and requested three bouquets.

She realized they were fellow fan club members when the brunette asked, "You hear about the Zack Fair memorial?" She wanted to know where exactly the slum church was as she never been below plate, and Aerith was happy to provide directions.

It only occurred to Aerith after a successful day of flower-selling while she was setting her wagon in the church that she needed to make sure the old building looked presentable for the memorial. It needed a good dusting, floorboards swept and pews polished. It was going to take hours to clean, and what about the speeches people would be making? Shouldn't she rent a stage and microphone? Oh! And didn't memorials normally have a picture of the person being commemorated set on the stage? Then there was the problem of lighting, as it got awfully dark after sunset in the slums and the chandeliers hadn't worked since Aerith found the church...

Well, getting the place ready was going to take a lot of work, but somehow, Aerith would manage.

* * *

Cloud wavered, stepping back once as Sephiroth slowly descended the staircase.

There was a hunger in his green eyes as he neared, but Cloud couldn't outrun him and didn't have any weapons. Zack's buster sword was sticking out the metal platform in front of the fire-covered doorway, yet Cloud couldn't reach it without crossing paths with the madman first. Therefore, Cloud only had one defense left in his arsenal, one he was no good at wielding.

"Why do you want to kill me?" His voice trembled, so he steeled himself and darkened his tone as he asked, "Why did you hurt Tifa? And Zack?"

The general didn't respond as he continued down the stairs so Cloud raised his voice. "Answer me, Sephiroth!"

The man stopped at the bottom, but considering the length of Masamune, cutting Cloud in two wouldn't be a problem even from this distance.

Worried backtracking would instigate a violent action, the boy continued wielding words. "Sephiroth! Have you completely lost your mind?"

The First's only response was to impale Cloud through the stomach and smirk while the boy screamed. He raised the katana higher, eliciting another cry from the blond as he admitted. "It seems some things must happen, no matter the timeline we live in."

"S-Sephiroth..." Cloud wept, hands on the sword in a poor attempt to relieve pressure as he gasped through the agony branded into his veins. "I trusted you."

Sephiroth opened his mouth to retort when Cloud shut his eyes and cried. "I still trust you!"

The general froze, eyes wide and stunned while the boy stared him down, pleading. "I don't know why you're doing this," he swallowed down the bile and blood rushing up his throat. "But you're still..." His breathing stuttered and he fought hard to shout. "My hero!"

The declaration echoed throughout the chambers, louder than the crackling flames and stronger than the stench of mako in the air.

Cloud couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his cheeks as his ligaments and organs were snapped and torn with his every breath, inhales and exhales wedging him just a little farther along the sharp blade. Gaia, it hurt! _It_ _hurt so much!_

Cloud didn't care if it was the easy way out, he wanted to die. Anything, _anything,_ to stop this torture.

Despite his mental begging, the world only went black momentarily as the katana was torn out of him and Cloud was flung to the floor, rolling into the doorway. His head cracked against the metal wall and his ears rang, but Cloud couldn't so much as twitch while Sephiroth raged.

"How dare you." The general spat venom, ferocious storm brewing on his face. "How dare you test me!"

Cloud didn't try speaking, didn't have the will to try anymore. He tried to save Zack, Tifa, Sephiroth, himself. He failed, doubted his trying even helped. Although he hoped the others would somehow make it out alive, he would never know as Masamune was hefted over his neck and Sephiroth growled. "I'll make them suffer." He practically foamed at the mouth. "Once you're dead, I'll go after them. That flower girl you love, your mother, the townspeople, everyone you ever cherished will die!"

Cloud sobbed harder, wishing he could beg for their lives to be spared, but he didn't have the energy. He was broken and battered and would die in despair, so he shut his eyes tightly as the blade pierced flesh.

"No... Impossible!"

Cloud's eyes opened, but he did not understand the lack of Masamune in his throat or the horror on Sephiroth's face. Not until he noticed the buster sword sticking out Sephiroth's chest and twisting inside him as it was yanked out. The man dropped to his knees, Masamune clattering on the floor as Sephiroth did the same. Behind him stood Cissnei, pale and haggard as she lowered the buster sword. Her suit front was torn, yet beneath the black and white cloth was a gray, bulky material...a bulletproof vest?

Green sparkled over Cloud twice and he gasped, feeling returning to his limbs and pain dulling.

"You okay?" She asked between ragged breaths, leaning on the buster sword. Whatever injury she sustained clearly still plagued her, and using the last of her MP on him probably didn't help.

Cloud pushed himself up, nearly losing his balance as he stood because his insides didn't feel quite right and nausea churned his stomach fluids. He was going to throw up when suddenly Sephiroth shifted, hand arching on the floor as he rose to a crouch. Cissnei couldn't react fast enough and neither could Cloud, but there was a click and he blinked when Vincent suddenly appeared before them, gun trained on the side of Sephiroth's head.

If the ex-Turk intended to speak, he was outpaced by the muttered. "Do it."

Cloud blinked, not recognizing the quiet, drained voice until he noticed Cissnei staring slack-jawed at the crouching First.

"Kill me." Sephiroth lifted his face and his green irises were no longer vibrant or filled with cruel intentions.

Sephiroth just looked tired as he begged. "Kill me before he takes over again." His eyes locked on Cloud's as he whispered. "I don't want to be the villain."

Cloud's tears renewed. "Sephiroth..."

The gunshot rang out.

Sephiroth's eyes fell half-lidded as his body slumped forward, face turning aside while he dropped onto his front.

Cloud simply stared uncomprehendingly. He never seen General Sephiroth fall before, never seen him sick or weak, or so...so perfectly _human_. Not the great hero of Wutai, not the face of SOLDIER elite, simply a human being, tragically mortal as the rest of them.

"Forgive me, Lucrecia."

Cloud looked up while Vincent lowered his gun, tone dark with sorrow. "When I heard your voice through the nightmares, urging me to awaken..." Cloud's eyes lit up at the mention of a Voice. "I believed this was my chance to atone." He sounded downright agonized as he lamented. "I was wrong. I've killed your son, all that may have remained of you. Forgive me, Lucrecia, though I do not deserve it."

With that said, the ex-Turk stalked out the room, not sparing them a glance before disappearing into the darkness, destination unknown.

Cloud, feeling something needed to be said, turned right as Cissnei began to fall. He caught her, easing her down and laying her out beside Sephiroth as the buster sword crashed to the floor. His fingers found Cissnei's throat and her steady pulse reassured him she was merely unconscious. If only he knew how to use materia, he would cast cure on the Turk. Then again, Cloud's head was spinning and he tasted something metallic coating his tongue so maybe he should rest too... No...no, not yet.

Cloud reached out, grunting as he turned Sephiroth onto his back, then reverently ran his hand down the First's face to shut his unseeing eyes. Cloud rested his misty gaze on the man he idolized for years before exhaling harshly, wiping the tears away. "Goodnight, Sephiroth."

Now...now he could rest.

"Cloud?"

He gasped, whipping around.

* * *

Zack was struggling to formulate words when a dull pang ached his chest.

"What?" He gasped, hand coming to cover the tender area.

"Oh, great, you're starting to wake up." Older Zack grinned like Zack's sudden soreness was a welcomed change. "Guess this is goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Zack's chest heaved as the pain intensified before he frowned in thought. "You're about to fade, aren't you?"

Original Zack shrugged, tossing up his hands. "It's more like sleeping, since I'll always be in the back of your head for as long as you live." He flashed his teeth. "So don't go dying anytime soon."

Zack hissed, yet ignored the fire scalding his throat and weakness in his joints as he asked, "That's it? You-you're dying again and _that's_ your last words?"

"I repeat, it's sleeping, not dying, but you're right." Older Zack crossed his arms and rubbed his chin, thinking. "My original last words were pretty epic. It's too bad Cloud took the 'living legacy' thing so hard. I mean he's never been a happy camper, but I didn't expect him to become so angsty." He shuddered in distaste.

Zack wondered if dying had done irrepressible damage to Other Zack's brain before demanding. "Can you be serious for one second?"

Other Zack cocked his head. "Why? You want some advice or something?" He grinned gamely. "You should make out with Aerith more, she's a great kisser!"

Zack gawked at his other self, pain forgotten in the face of such nonchalance.

"Oh!" Original Zack's eyes lit up. "And have a baby! My Aerith's always wanted a baby boy, so aim for that!" He pumped his arm while Zack bent over, grasping his middle as pain and shock overcame him. The whiteness was shrinking around them, Zack wasn't sure how he knew since everything was white, but he swore the walls were closing in and the air was thinner.

Original Zack suddenly stood over him, latching onto Zack's forearms and helping the younger stand. He was grinning, despite it all, Original Zack was going to fade away with a smile on his face and for some reason that made Zack want to cry.

Original Zack squeezed his arms, smile softer yet no less bright. "I know you don't understand, but I'm really okay with this. It might not be what we want, but there's nothing you can do."

Zack wanted to protest, yet there was lava in his lungs, an ocean on his chest and a knife twisting under his ribs.

Still, his original self seemed to understand. "Fine," his lips hitched up higher, eyes kind. "If you really want to do something for me, promise me this."

Zack forced himself to straighten and Original Zack let him go, stepping back so they were eye-to-eye. "Embrace your dreams." Zack gasped, recognizing the phrase. "And, whatever happens," Original Zack's image started to fade as green wisps spiraled around his feet.

He beamed. "Protect the ones you love."

Zack screamed soundlessly as Original Zack faded in a whirlwind of glittering green and the white world shattered.

* * *

Zack was facing Cloud, sky blue eyes brimming with exhaustion and deep-seated pain. Cloud quickly got up and rushed over unsteadily, tipping left and right until he reached Zack and fell onto his hands and knees.

"You okay?" Zack asked in a weak, strained voice, sweat beads on his brow as he struggled to speak.

Cloud purposely didn't look at the gaping wound in Zack's chest or notice he was kneeling in Zack's blood as he huffed. "Isn't that my line?"

Zack grinned faintly and Cloud chuckled when something wet and slimy erupted from his chest and he gagged on the metallic taste while the edges of the room darkened as he coughed up blood. Cloud wondered when the air became so thin while his coughs tampered off and his sight stabilized.

"Cloud," Zack stared hard at the younger boy and Cloud regarded him curiously, vision swimming. "I have a favor...to ask of you." His eyes narrowed as he urged. "Run away."

Cloud gaped, Zack's serious face coming into sudden stark focus, then glowered and shook his head. "No."

Zack's jaw clenched and he hissed, using a sudden burst of strength to latch onto the front of Cloud's uniform, yanking the boy down until his face hovered over Zack's shoulder. "You _have_ to leave." He exhaled shakily, expression severe and eyes shining as he begged. "You have to live."

Cloud stayed in place, eyes wide, as Zack's hand fell and blood bubbled out the older boy's mouth, mako-infused eyes unfocusing.

Aghast, Cloud's face pinched and he shook his head while Zack's eyes drifted close. "I'm sorry, Zack," he whispered to the unconscious First, tears falling. "But I can't abandon you either."

Zack breathed uneasily in his sleep, and Cloud thought a nap sounded like a wonderful idea. Yeah...just a...quick nap...

Shifting to the right, Cloud collapsed on his side beside Zack, his blood splashing onto his face and dyeing his bangs. He started nodding off when a lightbulb flickered through his foggy brain and he reached into his pocket, missing the opening twice before he caught hold of his PHS.

He promised to call...try to call...every day...

His vision flipped from dark to light repeatedly as he stared at the phone screen. Fortunately the messenger app was already open with Aerith as the recipient. He didn't think twice before typing out _I'msorry_ and mashing the send button with his eyes closed.

_Sorry...wanted to bring Zack back to you..._

_...but I think..._

_We're going to be late._

The mako reactor door creaked opened.

The thundering clatter of military boots stormed in.

Within minutes a white-coated scientist stalked into the main room, pausing in the doorway to survey the area and its injured populace like one observing an interesting painting. It took said scientist a full minute to notice Sephiroth's body at his feet.

Hojo cackled, smirking as he adjusted his glasses and leaned forward. "Sephiroth," his cackles grew louder. "You've surely done it now." He bared his sharklike teeth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this conclusion, and I hope it was a thrilling read! Feel free to comment, ask questions, and if you want, read some fun facts about this story below.
> 
> Fun Facts:  
I planned for this chapter to be the grand finale to the Nibelheim arch because it's the 7th chapter of a FF7 story (lol).
> 
> Aerith and Zack are apart not just in distance, from Midgar to Nibelheim, but in time too since Aerith scenes are set in the present while Zack scenes take place during the Nibelheim Incident, which happened like a month ago for Aerith.
> 
> A lot of the dialogue and action in the mako reactor reference every source material that shows the Nibelheim Incident, including the original game, Crisis Core, the anime Last Order, and even the FFVII Remake (based on theories).
> 
> Original Zack's situation is an allegory for the effect the FFVII Remake will likely have on the FFVII fandom, as he's the Zack Fair from the original FFVII while regular Zack is the Zack I assume will be in the Remake. Original Zack's world disappearing once Remake Zack's world appeared represents how new FFVII fans who only play the FFVII Remake might never look up the original game, thus in a sense, are letting the original game die.
> 
> Brownie points to anybody who noticed these facts beforehand ;)


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